Touch system and touch sensitive processing apparatus and method thereof for detecting whether touch panel is partially submerged in conductive liquid

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a touch sensitive method applicable when a touch panel is half submerged in conductive liquid, wherein the touch panel comprises multiple parallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes, the touch sensitive processing method comprising: performing a step for acquiring a liquid line with respect to the touch panel for receiving a covered area of the touch panel below the liquid line; detecting in the covered area; reporting no touching or approximating events to a host if there are more than two first touching or approximating events or no event are detected; and reporting a first touching or approximating event to the host if there is only one first touching or approximating event is detected

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This patent application is based on a Taiwan, R.O.C. patent applicationNo. 108148743 filed on Dec. 31, 2019.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to touch system, and more particularly, totouch system which is able to report touch event when the touch systemis partially submerged in conductive liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Touch screen or panel is one of common output interfaces of modernelectronic systems. More and more modern electronic systems increasinglyemphasize drip-proof, water-proof and dust-proof functions. When amodern electronic system is in use closer to a water surface, especiallyseawater with good conductive characteristics, the touch screen or panelwould be malfunctioned because it is mostly covered by water orconductive liquid although the electronic system may not be permanentlydamaged. User experiences would be bad due to the input functions of theelectronic system are reduced to water-proof buttons.

Hence, there exists a need of an electronic system which can be operatedaround a water surface. The electronic system is able to detect thewater surface on the touch screen or panel and to provide differenttouch input functions above and below the water surface, such that theelectronic system is capable to provide different outputs according todifferent touch inputs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present application is to provide an electronicdevice and a touch sensitive processing apparatus and methods thereoffor determining whether a component of the electronic device issubmerged in conductive liquid. The determination is further based onanother determination of liquid surface line corresponding to a touchpanel of the electronic device. The present application further providesdetection mechanisms for detecting a touching or approximating eventhappens in the submerged area of the touch panel.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides anelectronic device for detecting whether a component is submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the component; a touch panel; a touchsensitive processing apparatus, coupled to the touch panel, configuredto detect a liquid surface line when the electronic device is partiallysubmerged in the conductive liquid; an attitude sensor, for detecting anattitude of the electronic device relative to ground; and a centralprocessing unit (CPU) module, connected to the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus and the attitude sensor, configured to executeinstruction for implementing following steps: receiving the liquidsurface line from the touch sensitive processing apparatus; receivingthe attitude from the attitude sensor; gathering positional data of thetouch panel and the component; and determining whether the component issubmerged in the conductive liquid according to the positional data, theliquid surface line and the attitude.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the electronic device further comprises a sensor,connected to the CPU module, configured to detect the positional data ofthe touch panel and the component and to transmit the positional data tothe CPU module.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the touch panel and thecomponent are fixed, the electronic device further comprises a memorymodule, connected to the CPU module, configured to store the positionaldata of the touch panel and the component and to provide the positionaldata to the CPU module.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the CPUmodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementing oneof following steps: performing an entering step if the component isdetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; performing acomponent entering step if the component is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step if the component isdetermined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid; and performing acomponent exiting step if the component is determined being un-submergedin the conductive liquid.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a methodfor detecting whether a component is submerged in conductive liquid,comprising: receiving a liquid surface line from a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus of an electronic device, wherein the touchsensitive processing apparatus, coupled to a touch panel, is configuredto detect the liquid surface line when the electronic device ispartially submerged in the conductive liquid; receiving an attitude froman attitude sensor of the electronic device, wherein the attitude sensoris configured for detecting an attitude of the electronic devicerelative to ground; gathering positional data of the touch panel and thecomponent; and determining whether the component is submerged in theconductive liquid according to the positional data, the liquid surfaceline and the attitude.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the gathering step further comprises: receiving thepositional data of the touch panel and the component from a sensor ofthe electronic device.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the touch panel and thecomponent are fixed, the gathering step further comprises reading thepositional data of the touch panel and the component from a memorymodule of the electronic device.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the methodfurther comprises one of following steps: performing an entering step ifthe component is determined being submerged in the conductive liquid;performing a component entering step if the component is determinedbeing submerged in the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step ifthe component is determined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid;and performing a component exiting step if the component is determinedbeing un-submerged in the conductive liquid.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides anelectronic device for detecting whether a component is submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the component; a first touch panel; asecond touch panel; a touch sensitive processing apparatus, coupled tothe first touch panel and the second touch panel, configured to detect afirst liquid surface line by the first touch panel and to detect asecond liquid surface line by the second touch panel when the electronicdevice is partially submerged in the conductive liquid; and a centralprocessing unit (CPU) module, connected to the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: receiving the first liquid surface line and the secondliquid surface line from the touch sensitive processing apparatus;gathering positional data of the first touch panel, the second touchpanel and the component; and determining whether the component issubmerged in the conductive liquid according to the positional data, thefirst liquid surface line and the second liquid surface line.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the electronic device further comprises a sensor,connected to the CPU module, configured to detect the positional data ofthe first touch panel, the second touch panel and the component and totransmit the positional data to the CPU module.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component are fixed, the electronic devicefurther comprises a memory module, connected to the CPU module,configured to store the positional data of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component and to provide the positional datato the CPU module.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the CPUmodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementing oneof following steps: performing an entering step if the component isdetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; performing acomponent entering step if the component is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step if the component isdetermined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid; and performing acomponent exiting step if the component is determined being un-submergedin the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to more precisely determine whether thecomponent is submerged in the conductive liquid, the electronic devicefurther comprises an attitude sensor, connected to the CPU module,configured to detect an attitude of the electronic device relative toground, wherein the CPU module is further configured to executeinstruction for receiving the attitude from the attitude sensor, whereinthe determining is further according to the positional data, the firstliquid surface line, the second liquid surface line and the attitude.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides anelectronic device for detecting whether a component is submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the component; a first touch panel; asecond touch panel; a first touch sensitive processing apparatus,coupled to the first touch panel, configured to detect a first liquidsurface line by the first touch panel when the electronic device ispartially submerged in the conductive liquid; a second touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, coupled to the second touch panel, configured todetect a second liquid surface line by the second touch panel when theelectronic device is partially submerged in the conductive liquid; and acentral processing unit (CPU) module, connected to the first touchsensitive processing apparatus and the second touch sensitive processingapparatus, configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: receiving the first liquid surface line and the second liquidsurface line from the first touch sensitive processing apparatus and thesecond touch sensitive processing apparatus, respectively; gatheringpositional data of the first touch panel, the second touch panel and thecomponent; and determining whether the component is submerged in theconductive liquid according to the positional data, the first liquidsurface line and the second liquid surface line.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the electronic device further comprises a sensor,connected to the CPU module, configured to detect the positional data ofthe first touch panel, the second touch panel and the component and totransmit the positional data to the CPU module.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component are fixed, the electronic devicefurther comprises a memory module, connected to the CPU module,configured to store the positional data of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component and to provide the positional datato the CPU module.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the CPUmodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementing oneof following steps: performing an entering step if the component isdetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; performing acomponent entering step if the component is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step if the component isdetermined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid; and performing acomponent exiting step if the component is determined being un-submergedin the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to more precisely determine whether thecomponent is submerged in the conductive liquid, the electronic devicefurther comprises an attitude sensor, connected to the CPU module,configured to detect an attitude of the electronic device relative toground, wherein the CPU module is further configured to executeinstruction for receiving the attitude from the attitude sensor, whereinthe determining is further according to the positional data, the firstliquid surface line, the second liquid surface line and the attitude.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a methodfor detecting whether a component is submerged in conductive liquid,comprising: receiving a first liquid surface line and a second liquidsurface line, wherein the first liquid surface line is a line where asurface of the conductive liquid contacts a first touch panel of anelectronic device, wherein the second liquid surface line is a linewhere the surface of the conductive liquid contacts a second touch panelof the electronic device; gathering positional data of the first touchpanel, the second touch panel and the component; and determining whetherthe component is submerged in the conductive liquid according to thepositional data, the first liquid surface line and the second liquidsurface line.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the gathering step further comprises receiving thepositional data of the first touch panel, the second touch panel and thecomponent from a sensor of the electronic device.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component are fixed, the gathering stepfurther comprises reading the positional data of the first touch panel,the second touch panel and the component from a memory module of theelectronic device.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the methodfurther comprises one of following steps: performing an entering step ifthe component is determined being submerged in the conductive liquid;performing a component entering step if the component is determinedbeing submerged in the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step ifthe component is determined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid;and performing a component exiting step if the component is determinedbeing un-submerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to receive the first and the second liquidsurface lines corresponding to the first and the second touch panels,respectively, the electronic device further comprises a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus coupled to the first touch panel and the secondtouch panel for detecting the first liquid surface line and the secondliquid surface line, respectively, wherein the first liquid surface lineand the second liquid surface line are received from the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus.

In one embodiment, in order to receive the first and the second liquidsurface lines corresponding to the first and the second touch panels,respectively, the electronic device further comprises a first touchsensitive processing apparatus, coupled to the first touch panel, fordetecting the first liquid surface line and a second touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, coupled to the second touch panel, for detectingthe second liquid surface line, wherein the first liquid surface lineand the second liquid surface line are received from the first touchsensitive processing apparatus and the second touch sensitive processingapparatus, respectively.

In one embodiment, in order to more precisely determine whether thecomponent is submerged in the conductive liquid, the electronic devicefurther comprises an attitude sensor for detecting an attitude of theelectronic device relative to ground, wherein the method furthercomprises receiving the attitude from the attitude sensor, wherein thedetermining is further according to the positional data, the firstliquid surface line, the second liquid surface line and the attitude.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a CPUmodule as described in the aforementioned paragraphs.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing apparatus for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: having the driving circuit module drive atleast one of the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit modulesense the first electrodes for determining which of the first electrodesare covered by the conductive liquid; having the driving circuit moduledrive at least one of the second electrodes and having the sensingcircuit module sense the second electrodes for determining which of thesecond electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid; determining aliquid surface line according to the second electrodes which areun-submerged if all of the first electrodes and part of the secondelectrodes are determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; anddetermining the liquid surface line according to the first electrodesand the second electrodes which are un-submerged if part of the firstelectrodes and part of the second electrodes are determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the situations that the entiretouch panel is submerged or un-submerged, the processor module isfurther configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: determining the entire touch panel is covered by the conductiveliquid if all of the first electrodes and all of the second electrodesare determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; and determiningthe touch panel is not covered by the conductive liquid if all of thefirst electrodes and all of the second electrodes are determined beingun-submerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing at least one offollowing steps: having the driving circuit module drive different oneof the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sense thefirst electrodes, adjacent to the first electrode being driven,iteratively for determining which of the first electrodes are covered bythe conductive liquid; and having the driving circuit module drivedifferent one of the second electrodes and having the sensing circuitmodule sense the second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrodebeing driven, iteratively for determining which of the second electrodesare covered by the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to reduce number of the detections and toaccelerate the detections, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing at least one of following steps:having the driving circuit module stop sensing the first electrodes,adjacent to the first electrode being driven, if it is determined thatat least one of the first electrodes is submerged by the conductiveliquid and another one of the first electrodes is not submerged by theconductive liquid; and having the driving circuit module stop sensingthe second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrode being driven, ifit is determined that at least one of the second electrodes is submergedby the conductive liquid and another one of the second electrodes is notsubmerged by the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrode being driven is selected from one offollowing: an outermost one of the parallel first electrodes; and one ofthe parallel first electrodes which is closest to a central figurativeparallel line of the parallel first electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrodes being driven are two of the outermostfirst electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the submerged area, when multiplesensing values corresponding to the first electrodes cannot form aquadratic curve or an absolute value of a difference between the maximumvalue and the minimum value of the multiple sensing values is less thana predetermined value, it is determined that the first electrodescorresponding to the multiple sensing values are covered by theconductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:receiving an attitude of the touch panel from an attitude sensor; andadjusting the liquid surface line according to the attitude.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a methodfor detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged in conductiveliquid, wherein the touch panel comprises multiple parallel firstelectrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes, wherein the methodcomprising: driving at least one of the first electrodes and sensing thefirst electrodes for determining which of the first electrodes arecovered by the conductive liquid; driving at least one of the secondelectrodes and sensing the second electrodes for determining which ofthe second electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid; determininga liquid surface line according to the second electrodes which areun-submerged if all of the first electrodes and part of the secondelectrodes are determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; anddetermining the liquid surface line according to the first electrodesand the second electrodes which are un-submerged if part of the firstelectrodes and part of the second electrodes are determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the situations that the entiretouch panel is submerged or un-submerged, the method further comprises:determining the entire touch panel is covered by the conductive liquidif all of the first electrodes and all of the second electrodes aredetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; and determining thetouch panel is not covered by the conductive liquid if all of the firstelectrodes and all of the second electrodes are determined beingun-submerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the method further comprises: drivingdifferent one of the first electrodes and sensing the first electrodes,adjacent to the first electrode being driven, iteratively, fordetermining which of the first electrodes are covered by the conductiveliquid; and driving different one of the second electrodes and sensingthe second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrode being driven,iteratively for determining which of the second electrodes are coveredby the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to reduce number of the detections and toaccelerate the detections, the method further comprises: stoppingsensing the first electrodes, adjacent to the first electrode beingdriven, if it is determined that at least one of the first electrodes issubmerged by the conductive liquid and another one of the firstelectrodes is not submerged by the conductive liquid; and stoppingsensing the second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrode beingdriven, if it is determined that at least one of the second electrodesis submerged by the conductive liquid and another one of the secondelectrodes is not submerged by the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrode being driven is selected from one offollowing: an outermost one of the parallel first electrodes; and one ofthe parallel first electrodes which is closest to a central figurativeparallel line of the parallel first electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrodes being driven are two of the outermostfirst electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the submerged area, when multiplesensing values corresponding to the first electrodes cannot form aquadratic curve or an absolute value of a difference between the maximumvalue and the minimum value of the multiple sensing values is less thana predetermined value, it is determined that the first electrodescorresponding to the multiple sensing values are covered by theconductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the method further comprises: receivingan attitude of the touch panel from an attitude sensor; and adjustingthe liquid surface line according to the attitude.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsystem for detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the touch panel; a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, further comprising: a driving circuit module; asensing circuit module; an interconnection network module, configured toconnect the driving circuit module and one of multiple parallel firstelectrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of the touch paneland to connect the sensing circuit module and one of the multipleparallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes ofthe touch panel; and a processor module, connected to the drivingcircuit module, the sensing circuit module and the interconnectionnetwork module, configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: having the driving circuit module drive at least one ofthe first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sense thefirst electrodes for determining which of the first electrodes arecovered by the conductive liquid; having the driving circuit moduledrive at least one of the second electrodes and having the sensingcircuit module sense the second electrodes for determining which of thesecond electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid; determining aliquid surface line according to the second electrodes which areun-submerged if all of the first electrodes and part of the secondelectrodes are determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; anddetermining the liquid surface line according to the first electrodesand the second electrodes which are un-submerged if part of the firstelectrodes and part of the second electrodes are determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing apparatus for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: having the driving circuit module driveone of the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sensethe second electrodes, iteratively, for generating multipleone-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensional sensinginformation according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; determining whether a line piece group of liquid surfaceexists according to the two-dimensional sensing information, wherein theline piece group of liquid surface includes line pieces which arecontinuous parts of some of the one-dimensional sensing information, allvalues of sensing information belonging to the line piece group ofliquid surface are larger than a first threshold; determining whetherthe line piece group of liquid surface contacts two edges of the touchpanel if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacedoes exist; calculating two average values of values of sensinginformation corresponding to two sides of the two-dimensional sensinginformation which are separated by the line piece group of liquidsurface if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacecontacts two edges of the touch panel; determining one side with alarger one of the two average values is below a surface of theconductive liquid and another side is above the surface of theconductive liquid; and determining a liquid surface line according to aninterface between the line piece group of liquid surface and the sideabove the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to confirm the covered area is submerged inthe conductive liquid rather than covered by other object, the processormodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: determining whether the larger one of the two averagevalues is larger than a second threshold, where the first threshold islarger than the second threshold; and proceeding the determining theliquid surface line step when it is determined that the larger one ofthe two average values is larger than the second threshold.

In one embodiment, in order to find out a straight line which is theclosest to the real liquid surface, the liquid surface line is astraight line, where a sum of distances between the liquid surface lineand an interface between the line piece group of liquid surface and theside above the surface of the conductive liquid is smallest.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real liquid surface line,the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensing pointscorresponding to the line piece group of liquid surface which areadjacent to the side above the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real and lower liquidsurface line, the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passessensing points corresponding to the side above the surface of theconductive liquid which are adjacent to the line piece group of liquidsurface.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing method for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, wherein the touch panelcomprises multiple parallel first electrodes and multiple secondelectrodes, the touch sensitive processing method comprising: drivingone of the first electrodes and sensing the second electrodes,iteratively, for generating multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; forming two-dimensional sensing information according tothe multiple one-dimensional sensing information; determining whether aline piece group of liquid surface exists according to thetwo-dimensional sensing information, wherein the line piece group ofliquid surface includes line pieces which are continuous parts of someof the one-dimensional sensing information, all values of sensinginformation belonging to the line piece group of liquid surface arelarger than a first threshold; determining whether the line piece groupof liquid surface contacts two edges of the touch panel if it isdetermined that the line piece group of liquid surface does exist;calculating two average values of values of sensing informationcorresponding to two sides of the two-dimensional sensing informationwhich are separated by the line piece group of liquid surface if it isdetermined that the line piece group of liquid surface contacts twoedges of the touch panel; determining one side with a larger one of thetwo average values is below a surface of the conductive liquid andanother side is above the surface of the conductive liquid; anddetermining a liquid surface line according to an interface between theline piece group of liquid surface and the side above the surface of theconductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to confirm the covered area is submerged inthe conductive liquid rather than covered by other object, the touchsensitive processing method further comprises: determining whether thelarger one of the two average values is larger than a second threshold,where the first threshold is larger than the second threshold; andproceeding the determining the liquid surface line step when it isdetermined that the larger one of the two average values is larger thanthe second threshold.

In one embodiment, in order to find out a straight line which is theclosest to the real liquid surface, the liquid surface line is astraight line, where a sum of distances between the liquid surface lineand an interface between the line piece group of liquid surface and theside above the surface of the conductive liquid is smallest.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real liquid surface line,the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensing pointscorresponding to the line piece group of liquid surface which areadjacent to the side above the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real and lower liquidsurface line, the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passessensing points corresponding to the side above the surface of theconductive liquid which are adjacent to the line piece group of liquidsurface.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a touchsystem for detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: a touch panel, comprising multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes; and atouch sensitive processing apparatus, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of the multipleparallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes ofthe touch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: having the driving circuit module driveone of the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sensethe second electrodes, iteratively, for generating multipleone-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensional sensinginformation according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; determining whether a line piece group of liquid surfaceexists according to the two-dimensional sensing information, wherein theline piece group of liquid surface includes line pieces which arecontinuous parts of some of the one-dimensional sensing information, allvalues of sensing information belonging to the line piece group ofliquid surface are larger than a first threshold; determining whetherthe line piece group of liquid surface contacts two edges of the touchpanel if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacedoes exist; calculating two average values of values of sensinginformation corresponding to two sides of the two-dimensional sensinginformation which are separated by the line piece group of liquidsurface if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacecontacts two edges of the touch panel; determining one side with alarger one of the two average values is below a surface of theconductive liquid and another side is above the surface of theconductive liquid; and determining a liquid surface line according to aninterface between the line piece group of liquid surface and the sideabove the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to confirm the covered area is submerged inthe conductive liquid rather than covered by other object, the processormodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: determining whether the larger one of the two averagevalues is larger than a second threshold, where the first threshold islarger than the second threshold; and proceeding the determining theliquid surface line step when it is determined that the larger one ofthe two average values is larger than the second threshold.

In one embodiment, in order to find out a straight line which is theclosest to the real liquid surface, the liquid surface line is astraight line, where a sum of distances between the liquid surface lineand an interface between the line piece group of liquid surface and theside above the surface of the conductive liquid is smallest.

In one embodiment, in order to a more real liquid surface line, theliquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensing pointscorresponding to the line piece group of liquid surface which areadjacent to the side above the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to a more real and lower liquid surfaceline, the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensingpoints corresponding to the side above the surface of the conductiveliquid which are adjacent to the line piece group of liquid surface.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing apparatus for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: detecting a liquid surface line, by thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, and a covered area of the touch panel,below the liquid surface line, which is covered by the conductiveliquid; detecting first touching or approximating event in the coveredarea; when zero or three first touching or approximating events aredetected, reporting no first touching or approximating event to a host;and when one first touching or approximating event is detected,reporting the first touching or approximating event to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report touching or approximating eventsabove the liquid surface line, the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:having the driving circuit module drive one of the first electrodes andhaving the sensing circuit module sense the second electrodes,iteratively, for generating multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; forming two-dimensional sensing information according tothe multiple one-dimensional sensing information; calculating one ormore second touching or approximating events according to thetwo-dimensional sensing information; reporting the one or more secondtouching or approximating events which are outside the covered area tothe host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, theprocessor module is further configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and reporting the rectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, theprocessor module is further configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and when the four vertices are inside the covered area, reporting therectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to distinguish two touching or approximatingevents from the rectangle, the four vertices of the rectanglesequentially includes a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertexand a fourth vertex, wherein the processor module is further configuredto execute instruction for implementing following steps: having thedriving circuit module drive one of the first electrodes and having thesensing circuit module sense the second electrodes, iteratively, forgenerating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; when the first vertex is not inside the coveredarea, determining whether the vertex is corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events; when the first vertex iscorresponding to one of the second touching or approximating events,reporting the third vertex as a first touching or approximating event tothe host; and when the first vertex is not corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events, reporting the two vertex andthe fourth vertex as the first touching or approximating events to thehost.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module drive one of the first electrodes and having the sensingcircuit module sense the second electrodes, iteratively, for generatingmultiple one-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensionalsensing information according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; calculating one or more second touching or approximatingevents according to the two-dimensional sensing information; when thefirst vertex is not inside the covered area, determining whether thevertex is corresponding to one of the second touching or approximatingevents; when the first vertex is corresponding to one of the secondtouching or approximating events, reporting the third vertex as a firsttouching or approximating event to the host; and when the first vertexis not corresponding to one of the second touching or approximatingevents, reporting the two vertex and the fourth vertex as the firsttouching or approximating events to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the secondelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the second electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the firstelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple first sensingvalues; determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; and determining there exists one secondtouching or approximating event located at a position represented by thefirst coordinate value and a second coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside thecovered area; having the sensing circuit module sense the firstelectrodes and the second electrodes inside the covered area forgenerating multiple first sensing values and multiple second sensingvalues, respectively; determining at least one first coordinate valueaccording to the multiple first sensing values; determining at least onesecond coordinate value according to the multiple second sensing values;and determining there exists one second touching or approximating eventlocated at a position represented by the first coordinate value and asecond coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the firstelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple first sensingvalues; determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; having the driving circuit modulesimultaneously drive the second electrodes inside the covered area andhaving the sensing circuit module sense the second electrodes inside thecovered area for generating multiple second sensing values; determiningat least one second coordinate value according to the multiple secondsensing values; and determining there exists one second touching orapproximating event located at a position represented by the firstcoordinate value and a second coordinate value.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing method for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, wherein the touch panelcomprises multiple parallel first electrodes and multiple parallelsecond electrodes, comprising: detecting a liquid surface line and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report touching or approximating eventsabove the liquid surface line, the method further comprises: driving oneof the first electrodes and sensing the second electrodes, iteratively,for generating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; reporting the one or more second touching orapproximating events which are outside the covered area to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, themethod further comprises: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and reporting the rectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, themethod further comprises: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and when the four vertices are inside the covered area, reporting therectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to distinguish two touching or approximatingevents from the rectangle, the four vertices of the rectanglesequentially includes a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertexand a fourth vertex, the method further comprises: driving one of thefirst electrodes and sensing the second electrodes, iteratively, forgenerating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; when the first vertex is not inside the coveredarea, determining whether the vertex is corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events; when the first vertex iscorresponding to one of the second touching or approximating events,reporting the third vertex as a first touching or approximating event tothe host; and when the first vertex is not corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events, reporting the two vertex andthe fourth vertex as the first touching or approximating events to thehost.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the method further comprises: simultaneouslydriving the first electrodes inside the covered area and sensing thesecond electrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; simultaneously drivingthe second electrodes inside the covered area and sensing the firstelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple first sensingvalues; determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; and determining there exists one secondtouching or approximating event located at a position represented by thefirst coordinate value and a second coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the method further comprises: simultaneouslydriving the first electrodes inside the covered area; sensing the firstelectrodes and the second electrodes inside the covered area forgenerating multiple first sensing values and multiple second sensingvalues, respectively; determining at least one first coordinate valueaccording to the multiple first sensing values; determining at least onesecond coordinate value according to the multiple second sensing values;and determining there exists one second touching or approximating eventlocated at a position represented by the first coordinate value and asecond coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the method further comprises: simultaneouslydriving the first electrodes inside the covered area and sensing thefirst electrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple firstsensing values; determining at least one first coordinate valueaccording to the multiple first sensing values; simultaneously drivingthe second electrodes inside the covered area and sensing the secondelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; and determining thereexists one second touching or approximating event located at a positionrepresented by the first coordinate value and a second coordinate value.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsystem for detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the touch panel; and a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, comprising: a driving circuit module; a sensingcircuit module; an interconnection network module, configured to connectthe driving circuit module and one of multiple parallel first electrodesand multiple parallel second electrodes of the touch panel and toconnect the sensing circuit module and one of the multiple parallelfirst electrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel; and a processor module, connected to the driving circuitmodule, the sensing circuit module and the interconnection networkmodule, configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: detecting a liquid surface line, by the driving circuit module,the sensing circuit module and the interconnection network module, and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.

In one embodiment, the touch system further comprises the host.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and spirit related to the present invention can befurther understood via the following detailed description and drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicts a touch system according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram shows a touch screen according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrate touch systems according toembodiments of the present invention partially submerged into conductiveliquid.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicts a touch system according to an embodiment ofthe present invention partially submerged into conductive liquid.

FIG. 6 is a diagram shows multiple first electrodes and multiple secondelectrodes included in a touch system according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrates one-dimensional sensing informationgathered in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrates one-dimensional sensing informationgathered in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a diagram depicts un-submerged touch electrodes included inthe embodiment as shown in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams show mutual capacitance sensing betweenparallel electrodes according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrates a sensing image of mutual capacitancesensing between perpendicular electrodes according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart diagram depicts a method for a part of anelectronic device entering and exiting conductive liquid in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram depicts a touch system according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram depicts a touch system according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart diagram depicts a method for a part of anelectronic device entering and exiting conductive liquid in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart diagram shows a method for detecting a liquidsurface line in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart diagram shows a method for detecting a liquidsurface line in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart diagram shows a method for detecting a touchingor approximating event in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 19A and 19B are flowchart diagrams illustrate a method fordetecting a touching or approximating event in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart diagram shows a method for detecting a touchingor approximating event in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Some embodiments of the present application are described in detailsbelow. However, in addition to the description given below, the presentinvention can be applicable to other embodiments, and the scope of thepresent invention is not limited by such rather by the scope of theclaims. Moreover, for better understanding and clarity of thedescription, some components in the drawings may not necessary be drawnto scale, in which some may be exaggerated related to others, andirrelevant. If no relation of two steps is described, their executionorder is not bound by the sequence as shown in the flowchart diagram.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram depicts a touch system100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The touchsystem 100 may be a computer system such as desktop, laptop, tablet,industrial control computer, smartphone or any other computer systemsincluding touch sensitive functions.

The touch system 100 may include a touch sensitive processing apparatus110, a touch panel or screen 120 coupled to the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110 and a host 140 coupled to the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110. The touch system may further include one ormore styli 130 and or touch electronic board erasers 135. Hereinafter inthis application, the touch panel or screen 120 is collectively beingreferred as the touch screen 120. However, in the embodiments which arelack of display function, person having ordinary skill in the art canunderstand the “touch screen” is referring to the touch panel. The touchscreen 120 may include a plurality of first electrodes 121 in parallelto a first axis and a plurality of second electrodes 122 in parallel toa second axis. The first electrode 121 intersects with the plurality ofsecond electrodes 122 for forming multiple sensing points or areas.Similarly, the second electrode 122 intersects with the plurality offirst electrodes 121 for forming multiple sensing points or areas. Insome embodiments, the present application may refer to the firstelectrodes 121 as the first touch electrodes 121, and the secondelectrodes 122 as the second touch electrodes 122. The first and thesecond electrodes are collectively being referred as touch electrodes.In some embodiments of the touch screen 120, the first electrodes 121and the second electrodes 122 are made by transparent materials such asindium tin oxide (ITO) or nanometer carbon tubes. The first electrodes121 and the second electrodes 122 may be arranged in one electrodelayer. Multiple conductor plates of one of the first electrodes 121 orthe second electrodes are connected by bridging. The first electrodes121 and the second electrodes 122 may be arranged in two adjacentelectrode layers. Unless further elaborated, the present application isable to be applied to single-layered or multi-layered embodiments. Thefirst axis is usually perpendicular to the second axis. However, thepresent application does not limit that the first axis must beperpendicular to the second axis. In one embodiment, the first axis maybe a horizontal axis or a refresh line axis of the touch screen 120.

Simplified speaking, the touch panel or screen 120 in this applicationis a base plate with a sensing layer structure. Its control apparatusmay use the sensing layer structure to detect at least one externalconducting object touching or approximating the base plate. The sensinglayer structure may include one or more layers. A touching orapproximating object is referred to an external conducting objecttouching or approximating the touch panel or screen.

The external conducting object in this application may be a part ofhuman body, such as a finger or a palm. It may be an object touched byhuman body, such as a passive stylus or an active stylus which activelytransmits signals for the touch panel to detect its position. It may bea grounded test object such as a bronze cylinder. The touching orapproximating event is an event detected by the touch panel or screenwhere the external conducting object touching or approximating the touchpanel or screen. The event related information may include a position onthe touch panel or screen, a range, a signal strength, touching orapproximating, etc.

The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 may include followinghardware circuit modules: an interconnection network module 111, adriving circuit module 112, a sensing circuit module 113, a processormodule 114 and an interface module 115. The touch sensitive processingapparatus may be implemented inside a single IC (integrated circuit)which may include one or more dies. It may be alternatively implementedby multiple ICs and an interconnection board of the multiple ICs. Thetouch sensitive processing apparatus 110 may be implemented in the sameIC with the host 140. Or the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110and the host 140 may be resided in the same die. In other words, thepresent invention does not limit how the touch sensitive processingapparatus 110 implements.

The interconnection network module 111 is configured to connect thefirst and the second electrodes 121 and 122 of the touch screen 120,respectively. Upon receiving control command of the processor module114, the interconnection network module 111 is configured to connect thedriving circuit module 112 to any one or more touch electrodes or toconnect the sensing circuit module 113 to any one or more touchelectrodes. The interconnection network module 111 may include acombination of one or more multiplexers to fulfill the aforementionedfunctions.

The driving circuit module 112 may comprise clock generator, frequencydivider, frequency multiplier, phase lock loop, power amplifier, DC-DCvoltage converter, regulator and/or filter, which is configured toprovide driving signal to any one or more touch electrodes via theinterconnection network module 111 according to control commands of theprocessor module 114. The driving signal may be modulated by kinds ofanalog or digital modulations for carrying some messages. Themodulations include but not limit to frequency modulation (FM), phasemodulation, amplitude modulation, dual sideband modulation (DSB), singlesideband module (SSB-AM), vestigial sideband modulation, amplitude shiftkeying (ASK), phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature amplitude modulation(QAM), frequency shift keying (FSK), continuous phase modulation (CPM),code division multiple (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA),orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), pulse widthmodulation (PWM) and etc. The driving signal may include one or moresquare waves, sinuous waves or any modulated waves. The driving circuitmodule 112 may include one or more channel. Each channel may beconnected to any one or more touch electrodes via the interconnectionnetwork module 111.

The sensing circuit module 113 may comprise clock generator, frequencydivider, frequency multiplier, phase lock loop, power amplifier, DC-DCvoltage converter, regulator and/or filter, which is configured to senseon any one or more touch electrodes via the interconnection networkmodule 111 according to control commands of the processor module 114.When the touch signal is transmitted from one of the touch electrodes,another touch electrode may induce the touch signal. And the sensingcircuit module 130 may demodulate the induced touch signal by theanother touch electrode in accordance with the modulation methodperformed on the driving signal by the driving circuit module 112 inorder to restore the messages carried by the driving signal. The sensingcircuit module 113 may include one or more channels. Each channel may beconnected to any one or more touch electrodes via the interconnectionnetwork module 111. In the same time, each channel may simultaneouslyperform sensing and demodulation.

In one embodiment, the driving circuit module 112 and the sensingcircuit module 113 may include analog front-end (AFE) circuits. Inanother embodiment, in additional to the AFE circuits, the drivingcircuit module 112 and the sensing circuit module 113 may includedigital back-end (DBE) circuits. If the driving circuit module 112 andthe sensing circuit module 113 include only the AFE circuits, the DBEcircuits may be implemented in the processor module 114.

The processor module 114 may include a digital signal processor forconnecting the AFE circuits or the DBE circuits of the driving circuitmodule 112 and the sensing circuit module 113, respectively. Theprocessor module 114 may include an embedded processor, non-volatilememories and volatile memories. Normal or real-time operating system(OS) and their application programs may be stored in the non-volatilememories. The OS and the application programs include multipleinstructions and data. The processor (including the embedded processorand the digital signal processor) may execute the instructions forcontrolling other modules including the interconnection network module111, the driving circuit module 112, the sensing circuit module 113 andthe interface module 115 of the touch sensitive processing apparatus110. For examples, the processor module 114 may comprises processorswidely adopted in the industry such as 8051 series, Intel i960 series,ARM Cortex-M series and etc. The present application does not limittypes and numbers of processors included in the processor module 114.

The instructions and data may be used to implement each of stepsmentioned in the present application and flows and methods constructedby the steps. Some instructions may be executed independently inside theprocessor module 114, for examples, arithmetic and log operationinstructions. Other instructions may be used to control other modules ofthe touch sensitive processing apparatus 110. These instructions mayinclude input/output interfaces of the processor module 114 to controlother modules. Other modules may provide information via theinput/output interface of the processor module 114 to the OS and/orapplication programs executed by the processor module 114. Personshaving ordinary skill in the art should have common knowledge ofcomputer organization and architecture which enabling them to understandthat the flows and methods provided by the present application can berealized by the modules and the instructions.

The interface module 115 may include kinds of serial or parallel bus,such as universal serial bus (USB), I²C, peripheral componentinterconnect (PCI), PCI-Express, IEEE 1394 and other industrial standardinput/output interface. The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110connects to the host 140 via the interface module 115.

The driving electrode in this application refers to the touch electrodewhich is connected to the driving circuit module 112. The sensingelectrode in this application refers to the touch electrode which isconnected to the sensing circuit module 113. The touch electrode may beone of the first electrodes 121 or the second electrodes 121.

The one-dimensional sensing information in this application may refer tomultiple sensing data corresponding to the first axis or the secondaxis. It may refer to a set of signal values corresponding to m sensingpoints at intersections of a single sensing electrode and m drivingelectrodes. It may refer to a set of signal values corresponding to nsensing points at intersections of a single driving electrode and nsensing electrodes. In other words, one-dimensional sensing informationmay include signal values corresponding to m sensing points or n sensingpoints. The one-dimensional sensing information may include differencevalues or dual difference values of the m/n sensing points.

The two-dimensional sensing information in this application may refer toa combination of multiple one-dimensional sensing information or animage. The two-dimensional sensing information is arranged according topositions corresponding to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation.

The signal value may be a value which is directly measured at thesensing electrode, or a value restored from difference values or dualdifference values. These two kinds of signal value may be different,however, they may be interchangeable or equivalent in some embodiments.

The difference value may be a difference of signal values of adjacentsensing points. The dual difference value may be a difference ofadjacent difference values. The sensing circuit module 113 may beconfigured to output the signal values, the difference values or thedual difference values to the processor module 114.

The line piece (LPC) in this application may refer to a whole or acontinuous part of one-dimensional sensing information. The line piecegroup may refer to multiple line pieces of multiple adjacentone-dimensional sensing information, where one of two adjacent linepieces include a sensing point which is a neighbor of another sensingpoint of the another one of the two adjacent line pieces.

The ghost point may be a point or an area which occurs undesiredcapacitance sensing.

The touch system 100 may comprise one or more styli 130 and/or toucherasers 135. The stylus 130 and touch eraser 136 may be transmitterswhich emit electrical signals. The transmitters may include activetransmitter which actively emits electrical signals or passivetransmitter which emits electrical signals in response to outsideelectrical signals. The stylus 130 and touch eraser 136 may comprise oneor more electrodes which is configured to receive electrical signalsfrom the touch screen synchronously or asynchronously, or to transmitelectrical signals to the touch screen synchronously or asynchronously.The electrical signals may be modulated according to one or more of theaforementioned modulation methods.

The stylus 130 or touch eraser 135 may be conductor which is configuredto transmit driving signals or to be grounded via user's hand or body.The stylus 130 or touch eraser 135 may be wired or wirelessly connectedto an I/O interface module 141 of the host 140 or any other underlyingmodules of the I/O interface module 141.

The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 may detect one or moreexternal conductive objects such as fingers, palms or passive styli 130or touch erasers 135 or styli 130 or touch erasers 135 emittingelectrical signals via the touch screen 120. The touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110 may utilize mutual-capacitance orself-capacitance principles to detect external conductive objects. Thestyli 130 or touch erasers 135 and touch sensitive processing apparatus110 may use the aforementioned modulation and demodulation methods totransmit message via the electrical signals. The touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110 may detect one or more positions where thestylus 130 or touch erasers 135 touches or approximates the touch screen120, status or sensors (pressure sensor or button) onboard the stylus130 or touch eraser 135, orientation angle or inclination angle of thestylus 130 or touch erasers 135 with respect to the touch screen 120 andetc. according to the electrical signals.

The host 140 is a main apparatus for controlling the touch system 100.It may comprises an input/output interface module 141 for connecting theinterface module 115, a central processing unit (CPU) module 142, agraphics processor module 143, a memory module 144 connects to the CPUmodule 142, a network interface module 145 and a storage module 146connect to the input/output interface module 141.

The storage module 146 comprises non-volatile memory. Common examplesare hard disks, electronic erasable rewritable read only memory(EEPROM), or flash memory. The storage module 146 may store normaloperating system and application programs executable under the operatingsystem. The network interface module 145 may comprise wired or wirelesshardware network interface. The network interface module 145 may becompliant to common industrial standards such as IEEE 802.11 WirelessLocal Area Network, IEEE 802.3 Local Area Network, 3G, 4G and/or 5Gwireless telecommunication standards, Bluetooth wireless communicationstandards, and etc.

The CPU module 142 may directly or indirectly connects to theinput/output interface module 141, the graphics processor module 143,the memory module 144, the network interface module 145 and one storagemodule 146. The CPU module 142 may comprises one or more processor orprocessor cores. Common processors may include Intel, AMD, VIA's x86 andx64 instruction set architecture (ISA) processors, Apple, Qualcomm,MediaTek's ARM ISA processors, or any other types of complex instructionset computer (CISC) or reduced instruction set computer (RISC)processors. The OS and application programs include multipleinstructions and data corresponding to the instruction set. By executingthese instructions, the CPU module 142 is able to control other modulesof the touch system 100.

The optional graphics processor module 143 is usually configured tohandle computations with respect to graphics outputs. The graphicsprocessor module 143 may connect to the touch screen 120 for controllingoutputs of the touch screen 120. In some applications, the host 140 mayhave the CPU module 142 execute the computations with respect tographics outputs, without dedicated handling of the graphics processormodule 143.

Please refer to FIG. 2, which shows a diagram of a touch screenaccording to an embodiment of the present application. For convenience,the touch screen 120 includes only three first electrodes 121. In asequence, they are first electrodes 121A, 121B and 121C, respectively.The touch screen 120 comprises multiple second electrodes 122A-122H.

In traditional mutual-capacitance detection, the driving circuit module112 would provide driving signals to one of the three first electrodes121 in a time-sharing manner in order to gather three sets ofone-dimension sensing information. Each set of one-dimension sensinginformation includes sensing results of each of the second electrodes122. A two-dimension sensing information or a sensing image can beconstructed according to the three sets of one-dimension sensinginformation and the driving signal transmission sequence with regard tothe first electrodes 121. The processor module 114 is able to detectwhether an external conductive object touches or approximates the touchscreen 120 according to the two-dimension sensing information or thesensing image.

Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4, which are diagrams illustrate touchsystems according to embodiments of the present invention partiallysubmerged into conductive liquid. Although most of the electronicsystems have only one touch screen 120. However, the touch system 100according to embodiments of the present invention may have two or moretouch panel or screen 120. In other words, the present application isapplicable to any electronic system having at least one touch panel orscreen 120 which is submerged into conductive liquid. In addition, thetouch panel or screen 120 mentioned in the present application may beflat or curvy. In addition to traditional rigid base plate, the touchpanel or screen 120 may be built on flexible base plate. The conductiveliquid may be water, sea water, salty water or any liquid withconductivity coefficient greater than a threshold.

In the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the touch system 100 ispartially submerged in conductive liquid. A surface separating theconductive liquid from other media is called the liquid surface 310. Thetouch screen 120 may be partially submerged in the conductive liquidvertically or in other angle. At least a part of the touch screen 120 isabove the liquid surface.

The difference between the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is thatthe liquid surface intersects with two opposite edges of the touchscreen 120 in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3. In the embodiment asshown in FIG. 4, the liquid surface intersects with two adjacent edgesof the touch screen 120. In other words, at least one of the firstelectrodes 121 or the second electrodes 122 is totally submerged underthe liquid surface in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3. However, in theembodiment as shown in FIG. 4, no first electrodes 121 or secondelectrodes 122 is entirely submerged in the conductive liquid.

One of the purposes provided by the present application is to detect theliquid surface 310 by the touch screen 120. Since the design of thetouch system 100 is fixed, assuming that the touch system includesgyroscope, accelerometer, gravity scale, or instruments for detectingattitude. After the liquid surface 310 is detected, the CPU 142 of thetouch system 100 is able to detect whether a physical interface, anantenna or a sensing subsystem is above or below the liquid surface 310according to the liquid surface 310 and the attitude.

Please refer to FIG. 5, which is a diagram depicts a touch systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention partially submergedinto conductive liquid. The touch system 500 may include two touchscreens 120A and 120B which are placed at two opposite surfaces of thetouch system 500. The sizes of these two touch screens 120A and 120B maybe different. Their positions at these two opposite surfaces may bedifferent, too. In one embodiment, the touch system 500 may comprise atouch screen 120A and a touch panel 120B. When the touch system 500detects where the liquid surface are at the two touch screens 120A and120B, the touch system 500 may determine its attitude according to therelative positions of the two touch screens 120A and 120B and may findsout whether the physical interfaces, the antennas or sensing subsystemsare above or below the liquid surface 310.

In following paragraphs, we explain how to use capacitance sensingmethods for detecting where the liquid surface is at the touch panel orscreen which is partially submerged in the conductive liquid. Pleaserefer to FIG. 6, which is a diagram shows multiple first electrodes andmultiple second electrodes included in a touch system 100 according toan embodiment of the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 7, which is a diagram illustrates one-dimensionalsensing information gathered in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 6. Thehorizontal axis as shown in FIG. 7 represents magnitude of signalstrength. The vertical axis represents positions of the first electrodes121. The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 commands the drivingcircuit module 112 to transmit driving signals to the most upper one ofthe first electrodes 121A and commands the sensing circuit module 113 tosense the rest of the first electrodes 121. The generatedone-dimensional sensing information above the liquid surface is aquadratic curve. The generated one-dimensional sensing information belowthe liquid surface is likely a straight line. The processor module 114of the touch sensitive processing may find out that the one-dimensionalsensing information below the first electrode 121M is likely a straightline. Thus, it may determine that the liquid surface 310 is in betweentwo adjacent first electrodes 121M and 121N.

As shown in FIG. 7, the signal values corresponding to the firstelectrode 121N through the last one of the first electrodes 121Z cannotform a quadratic curve. An absolute value of a difference between theirmaximum value and minimum value is less than a threshold. The processormodule 114 may determine which of the first electrodes 121 are entirelyor partially submerged in the conductive liquid according to one or twoof the abovementioned characteristics. Since the first electrode 121N isclosest to the first one of the first electrodes 121A, the processormodule 114 may determine that at least a part of the first electrode121N is submerged below the liquid surface 310.

Please refer to FIG. 8, which is a diagram illustrates one-dimensionalsensing information gathered in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 6. Thevertical axis as shown in FIG. 8 represents magnitude of signalstrength. The horizontal axis represents positions of the secondelectrodes 122. The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 commandsthe driving circuit module 112 to transmit driving signals to the mostleft one of the second electrodes 122A and commands the sensing circuitmodule 113 to sense the rest of the second electrodes 122. The generatedone-dimensional sensing information above the liquid surface is astraight line 820. If the touch screen 120 is in the air, the generatedone-dimensional sensing information should form a quadratic curve 810.

As shown in FIG. 8, the signal values corresponding to the first one ofthe second electrodes 122A through the last one of the second electrodes122Z cannot form a quadratic curve where an absolute value of adifference between their maximum value and their minimum value is lessthan another threshold. The processor module 114 may determine which ofthe second electrodes 122 are entirely or partially submerged in theconductive liquid according to one or two of the abovementionedcharacteristics. In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 8, the processormodule 114 may determine that every one of the second electrodes is atleast partially submerged below the liquid surface 310 according to theline 820. In other words, every one of the second electrodes intersectswith the liquid surface 310. The processor module 114 may determine thatthe liquid surface 310 intersects with two opposite edges in parallel tothe second electrodes 122.

In the embodiments as shown in FIG. 6 through FIG. 8, it may determinethat the area of the touch screen 120 corresponding to the firstelectrodes 121A˜121M is not submerged in the conductive liquid accordingto the one-dimensional sensing information as shown in FIG. 7. It mayalso determine that every one of the second electrodes 122A˜122Z is atleast partially submerged in the conductive liquid according to theone-dimensional sensing information as shown in FIG. 8. Hence, afterreceiving the information from the touch sensitive processing apparatus110, the CPU module 142 of the touch system 100 may calculate where theliquid surface is at the touch screen 120 according to attitudeinformation from other sensors. Even without the attitude informationfrom other sensors, the CPU module 142 may determine that the area ofthe touch screen 120 corresponding to the first electrodes 121A˜121M isnot submerged in the conductive liquid according to the informationprovided by the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110. Furthermore,it may assume that the first electrode 121M is a ceiling of the liquidsurface 310.

Please refer to FIG. 9, which is a diagram depicts un-submerged touchelectrodes included in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 4. In theembodiment as shown in FIG. 9, it may determine that the firstelectrodes 121A˜121M are not submerged in the conductive liquidaccording to the sensing method as shown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, it maydetermine that the second electrodes 122N˜122Z are not submerged in theconductive liquid according to the sensing method as shown in FIG. 8.The processor module 114 of the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110may find out two boundary points 920A and 920B where the first electrode121M, the lowest un-submerged first electrode, intersects with the twoopposite edges of the touch screen 120. Because the boundary point 920Bis near the un-submerged last one of the second electrodes 122Z, it isexcluded. Similarly, the processor module 114 of the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110 may find out two boundary points 930A and 930Bwhere the second electrode 122N, the lowest un-submerged secondelectrode, intersects with the two opposite edges of the touch screen120. Because the boundary point 930B is near the un-submerged first oneof the first electrodes 121A, it is also excluded. A line 910 betweenthe left boundary points 920A and 930A may be viewed as the liquidsurface 310 by the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110.

There are errors between the real liquid surface 310 and the line 910.Thus, a boundary zone 915 may be established according to the line 910by the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110. The boundary zone 915is configured to expand the line 910 because the real liquid surface 310may be a dynamic wave surface. The area above the boundary zone 915 isassumed, by the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110, as a dry areawhich is not submerged in the conductive liquid. The boundary zone 915may be an area where the line 910 shifts upward and downward verticallyfor a distance.

Please refer to FIGS. 10A and 10B, which are diagrams show mutualcapacitance sensing between parallel electrodes according to oneembodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment as shown in FIG.7, the driving signal is transmitted from the first electrode which isclosest to the boundary. Since capacitance is inversely proportional tothe square of the distance, the signal values corresponding to the firstelectrodes including the last first electrode 121Z may form a quadraticcurve which is quite close to a line. Hence, in the embodiments as shownin FIGS. 10A and 10B, only a part with a larger variation rate in thequadratic curve may be used in a single sensing step. The detection ofliquid surface 310 may be performed by multiple sensing steps.

In one embodiment, sensing information are gathered from N of the firstelectrodes before and N of the first electrodes after the firstelectrode 1211 which transmits the driving signal. At the beginning, thedriving signal is transmitted from the (N+1)th first electrode 121.Meanwhile, sensing information are gathered from the first through theN-th first electrodes 121 and from the (N+2)th through the (2N+1)thfirst electrodes 121. In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 10A, N is setas 3. Therefore, at the beginning, the driving signal is transmittedfrom the fourth first electrode 121 and sensing information are gatheredfrom the first through the third first electrodes 121 and from the fifththrough the seventh first electrodes. The sensing informationcorresponding to the first through the third first electrodes 121 mayform a first quadratic curve 1010. The sensing information correspondingto the fifth through the seventh first electrodes 121 may form a secondquadratic curve 1020.

Already elaborated, it may determine whether the first electrodes arepartially or entirely submerged in the conductive liquid according towhether these two pieces of one-dimensional sensing information can formtwo quadratic curves or whether an absolute value of a differencebetween their maximum value and their minimum value is larger than athreshold. In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 10A, the six firstelectrodes 121 being sensed are not submerged under the liquid surface310. These two pieces of one-dimensional sensing information indeed canform two quadratic curves and their absolute value is larger than thethreshold.

In the embodiment, the driving signal is firstly provided to the (N+1)thfirst electrode 121. However, in other embodiments, it may firstlyprovide the driving signals to the first electrode 121A. And the sensingis performed to the first electrodes 121 at one side of the firstelectrode 121A. Then the driving signal is provided to the (N+2)th firstelectrode 121 and the sensing is performed to the second through (N+1)thfirst electrodes and to the (N+3)th through the (2N+2)th firstelectrodes. Similarly, the mutual capacitance sensing between parallelelectrodes is performed until the last one of the first electrodes 121Zor until the (N+1)th first electrode from the bottom is driven. Besides,the driving and the sensing may be performed every N+1 first electrode.For example, the second sensing step may be performed by providing thedriving signal to the (2N+2)th first electrode in order to preventduplicate sensing on the same first electrodes. Alternatively, thedriving and the sensing may be performed every 2N+1 first electrode. Inthis case, the second sensing step may be performed by providing thedriving signal to the (3N+2)th first electrode. In brief, the presentapplication does not limit how many the driving and sensing step isperformed.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 10B, the driving signal istransmitted from the first electrode 121M. Because the liquid surface310 is around the first electrode 121N, the one-dimensional sensinginformation below forms a straight line 1030. Thus, the processor module114 may determine that the liquid surface 310 is below the firstelectrode 121M which transmits the driving signal. In other words, thearea corresponding to the first electrode 121A through 121M is notsubmerged into the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, after the un-submerged area is determined, theprocessor module 114 may stop further sensing steps on parallel firstelectrodes. In another embodiment, the processor module 114 may commandthe first electrode 121N next to the first electrode 121M being driven,in order to make sure of that the first electrode 121N and those firstelectrodes below the first electrode 121N is submerged according to thetwo gathered one-dimensional sensing information.

In one embodiment, when the processor module 114 decides to drive thefirst electrode 121Z or the (N+1)th first electrode 121 from the bottomat first, it may determine this end of the touch screen is submerged inthe conductive liquid. Next, the processor module 114 may continue todrive the first electrode 121A or the (N+1)th first electrode 121. If itis determined that the opposite end of the touch screen is alsosubmerged in the conductive liquid, the processor module 114 maydetermine that the whole or most of the touch screen 120 is submergedinto the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, the processor module 114 may firstly perform thedriving and parallel sensing steps on the first electrodes 121 fordetermining which of the neighboring first electrodes 121 are notsubmerged in the conductive liquid. Next, the processor module 114 mayperform the driving and parallel sensing steps on the second electrodes122 for determining which of the neighboring second electrodes 122 arenot submerged in the conductive liquid. As described in the embodimentas shown in FIG. 9, four boundary points could be found out accordingly.And two upper boundary points are excluded subsequently. It maydetermine the line 910 defined by the two remained boundary points asthe liquid surface. Or a boundary zone 915 is further determined byexpanding the line 910.

The aforementioned sensing on parallel electrodes is performed bydriving a touch electrode and sensing on other touch electrodes inparallel to the driven one. Subsequently, based on one or two gatheredone-dimensional sensing information, the position of the liquid surfaceis determined. In following paragraphs, multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation are gathered by sensing on touch electrodes which areperpendicular to the driven touch electrode. A two-dimensional sensinginformation or a so-called sensing image could be collected according tothe multiple one-dimensional sensing information. Subsequently, thesemultiple one-dimensional sensing information or the sensing image areused to determine whether the touch screen is partially submerged in theconductive liquid.

Please refer to FIG. 11, which is a diagram illustrates a sensing imageof mutual capacitance sensing between perpendicular electrodes accordingto one embodiment of the present invention. There are multiple sensingvalues in this sensing image 1100. Absolute values of the sensing valuescan be classified into three classes 0, U, and A, where 0<U<A. Thesensing value may be one of the signal value, difference value or dualdifference value. In other words, if the sensing value is larger than afirst threshold, it is classified as A class.

In the middle of the sensing image 1100, there exists a boundary zoneconsisting of A-class sensing values. The sensing image is divided, bythe boundary zone, into two sides. It is a classic phenomenon when theliquid surface cuts the touch screen. The boundary zone touches theupper edge and the lower edge of the sensing image as shown in FIG. 11.The sensing image is divided into a left side and a right side by theboundary zone. Most sensing values in the left side are classified intothe lower 0-class, and most sensing values in the right side areclassified into the higher U class. In other words, if a left-sideaverage value and a right-side average value are calculated according tothe left side and the right side of the boundary zone, respectively, theright-side average value is larger than the left-side average value.Hence, the processor module 114 may determine that the right side isbelow the liquid surface and the left side is above the liquid surface.With regard to several abnormalities of sensing values around theboundary zone, they may be caused by interferences or drops ofconductive liquid staying on the touch screen.

The processor module 114 may determine a straight line 1110, as theliquid surface, along a ceiling of the boundary zone. Alternatively, theprocessor module 114 may determine a curve 1120, as the liquid surface,among the A-class sensing values or along the middle of the boundaryzone.

Because it may not be possible to detect touching or approximatingevents according to the submerged part of the sensing image 1110, theprocessor module 114 may filter all touching or approximating eventsbelow the liquid surface out. That is the processor module 114 does notreport any touching or approximating events below the liquid surface tothe CPU module 142. However, it is still possible to detect touching orapproximating events according to the un-submerged part of the sensingimage 1110. For example, two touching or approximating events 1130 and1140 could be found as shown in FIG. 11. The sensing values included inthe touching and sensing events are classified as X-class. In otherwords, when an absolute value of the sensing values is larger than asecond threshold, it is classified as X-class. The first threshold mayor may not equal to the threshold. Anyway, the values in the X-class andA-class are always larger than the values classified in the 0-class.

In one embodiment, the boundary zone may be taken as one touching orapproximating event. If a size of a touching or approximating eventexceeds a threshold and the event contacts two edges of the touchscreen, it may determine that the event is caused by the liquid surface.The boundary zone may contact two opposite edges, two adjacent edges orthree adjacent edges. If the boundary zone can divide the sensing image1110 into two sides, steps for calculating average values of sensingvalues of both sides can be proceed. Thus, the calculated average valuescan be used for determining which side is submerged in the conductiveliquid. If the boundary zone contacts two or three adjacent edges of thetouch screen and the boundary cannot divide the sensing image 1110 intotwo sides, it may determine the only one side is above the liquidsurface.

Besides, the multiple one-dimensional sensing information of the sensingimage 1110 may be used to determine positions of the liquid surface. Forexample, each horizontal one-dimensional sensing information as shown inFIG. 11 includes a line piece which has sensing values classified asA-class. Those adjacent line pieces having A-class sensing values may betaken as a large line piece group, a.k.a. one single touching orapproximating event. In other words, the area where the touching orapproximating event occupies is the aforementioned boundary zone. Apoint may be calculated according to sensing values of each of the linepieces. This point may be derived from a central point, a center ofgravity or a pointing corresponding to the maximum sensing values. Next,in one embodiment, a curve connecting all of these points can be takenas the liquid surface. In another embodiment, a straight line may beconsidered as the liquid surface if a sum of distance values between thestraight line and each of the point is a minimum. In an alternativeembodiment, a quadratic curve may be considered as the liquid surface ifa sum of distance values between the quadratic curve and each of thepoint is a minimum.

It is already known how to find out touching or approximating eventsand/or line piece groups according to sensing image. Based on theaforementioned determination steps on the found touching orapproximating event, it may determine whether the found touching orapproximating event is caused by the liquid surface or not. And it mayfurther determine which side is above the liquid surface.

In previous paragraphs, methods for detecting liquid surface by sensingparallel touch electrodes and by a sensing image are provided. In oneembodiment, a first liquid surface is firstly found by one of thesemethods, and then a second liquid surface is found by another one ofthese methods. At last, a third liquid surface is calculatedsubsequently according the first and the second liquid surface. Thereare three methods for detecting a single touching or approximating eventor a rectangle defined by two touching or approximating events in anarea which is mostly covered by conductive liquid. Any one of thesethree methods may be applicable to the area below the boundary zone orthe liquid surface. In other words, in one embodiment, after a liquidsurface is determined by the touch sensitive processing apparatus, thetouching or approximating events found in the sensing image may beignored. It turns to use one of these methods to detect the single eventor the rectangle.

For example, the first one of the three methods when an area isdetermined being mostly covered by conductive liquid or object includesfollowing steps. The processor module 114 may command the drivingcircuit module 112 providing driving signals to all of the firstelectrodes 121 in the area, command the sensing circuit module 113sensing all of the second electrodes 122 to gather multiple secondsensing values, and calculate at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the second sensing values; command the driving circuitmodule 112 providing driving signals to all of the second electrodes 122in the area, command the sensing circuit module 113 sensing all of thefirst electrodes 121 to gather multiple first sensing values, anddetermine at least one first coordinate value according to the firstsensing values; and determine that an external conductive objecttouching the position at the position represented by the first and thesecond coordinate values.

The second one of the three methods when an area is determined beingmostly covered by conductive liquid or object includes following steps.The processor module 114 may command the driving circuit module 112providing driving signals to all of the first electrodes 121 in thearea, command the sensing circuit module 113 sensing all of the firstelectrodes 121 to gather multiple first sensing values, calculate atleast one first coordinate value according to the first sensing values;command the sensing circuit module 113 sensing all of the secondelectrodes 122 to gather multiple second sensing values, calculate atleast one second coordinate value according to the second sensingvalues; and determine that an external conductive object touching theposition at the position represented by the first and the secondcoordinate values.

The third one of the three methods when an area is determined beingmostly covered by conductive liquid or object includes following steps.The processor module 114 may command the driving circuit module 112providing driving signals to all of the first electrodes 121 in thearea, command the sensing circuit module 113 sensing all of the firstelectrodes 121 to gather multiple first sensing values, calculate atleast one first coordinate value according to the first sensing values;command the driving circuit module 112 providing driving signals to allof the second electrodes 122 in the area, command the sensing circuitmodule 113 sensing all of the second electrodes 122 to gather multiplesecond sensing values, calculate at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the second sensing values; and determine that an externalconductive object touching the position at the position represented bythe first and the second coordinate values.

In case two first coordinate values and two second coordinate values arecalculated, it may determine that there are two external conductiveobjects touching two across corners of a rectangle defined by these twofirst coordinate values and two second coordinate values. However, itstill needs to determine which one of the corners of the rectangle isabove the liquid surface.

After the rectangle is determined, it may further determine whether allof the four corners of the rectangle are below the liquid surface. Ifso, the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 may report thisrectangle or the four corners to the CPU module 142. If only one corneris above the liquid surface, it may perform steps for gathering thesensing image. If the corner above the liquid surface matches a touchingor approximating event observed in the sensing image, the touchsensitive processing apparatus 110 may report the corner above theliquid surface and the across corner to the CPU 142 and ignore anothertwo corners of the rectangle. If the corner above the liquid surfacedoes not matches any touching or approximating event observed in thesensing image, the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 may reporttwo corners adjacent to the corner above the liquid surface to the CPU142.

In other words, before detecting any liquid surface, the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110 can perform multiple point detection on entiretouch screen 120. After a liquid surface is detected, the touchsensitive apparatus 110 may perform detection of a single touching eventor a rectangle on the submerged area and maintain original detectioncapability on the rest area of the touch screen 120.

Because the touch screen 120 is fixed in the touch system 100, when theCPU module 142 receives where the liquid surface is from the touchsensitive processing apparatus 110, it may gather attitude informationfrom other sensor. Thus it may determine which part of the touch system100 is also submerged into the conductive liquid.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, modules connecting to the I/Ointerface module 141 are the network interface module 145 and thestorage module 145. In another embodiment, modules connecting to the I/Ointerface module 141 may include one or more communication modules suchas 5G/4G/3G/2G wide area network wireless communication modules, localarea network wireless communication modules and/or personal networkwireless communication modules (e.g. Bluetooth, Zigbee, UWB, millimeterwave communication, etc.) If antennas of these communication modules aresubmerged in the conductive liquid, their corresponding wirelesscommunication functions would be malfunctioned or degraded.

In addition, the touch system 100 may include satellite positioningsignal receiver module, light sensor module, linear accelerometermodule, accelerometer module, angular accelerometer module, barometermodule, water pressure module, magnetometer module, fingerprint sensormodule, face scanner module, camera module, flashlight module,microphone module, speaker module, wireless charging sensor module,wired interface module (e.g. USB, Lightning, IEEE 1394, etc.) When anyone of the modules of the touch system 10 is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid, the CPU module 142 may perform correspondingactions. Functions of the corresponding action may include turning offthe module to reduce electricity consumption or changing operating modesor parameter of the module to adapt to the submerged environment and toreduce error inputs.

Please refer to FIG. 12, which is a flowchart diagram depicts a method1200 for a part of an electronic device entering and exiting conductiveliquid in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Theelectronic device may be the touch system 100 as shown in FIG. 1. Afirst touch panel included in the electronic device may be the touchpanel or screen 120 as shown in FIG. 1. A first component included inthe electronic device may be one of the aforementioned modules. Themethod 1200 may be applicable to the touch system 100.

Step 1210: detecting a first liquid surface line by using a first touchpanel of an electronic device which is partially submerged in conductiveliquid. Already discussed, the present application provides at leastthree methods for detecting liquid surface line by using a touch panelor screen. These methods can be used in this step. The first liquidsurface line may be a straight line or just a line.

Step 1220: detecting an attitude of the electronic device relative tothe ground by using an attitude sensor of the electronic device. Alreadydiscussed, the attitude sensor may include linear accelerometer module,accelerometer module, angular accelerometer module, gyroscope module,etc. for detecting the attitude. Normally, the ground level would beparallel to the first liquid surface line. However, if the conductiveliquid is shaking, the first liquid surface may not be parallel to theground level.

Step 1230: detecting positional data of the first touch panel and afirst component of the electronic device. If the shape of the electronicdevice is fixed, the relative position between the first touch panel andthe first module is also fixed. Hence, the relative position may bestored as positional data in the memory module 144 of the host 140. Ifthe shape of the electronic device is changeable, the relative positionbetween the first touch panel and the first component has to be detectedby a position sensor. The sensing result may be also stored aspositional data in the memory module 144. For example, a certain pointof the electronic device may be configured as the origin of a localcoordinate system. Next, coordinate values of the vertices of the touchpanel and coordinate values of the vertices of the first component arerecorded. These coordinate values are the so-called positional data.

Step 1240: determining whether the first component is submerged in theconductive liquid. After the attitude is detected at step 1220, thelocal coordinate system of the electronic device may be transformed intoa ground coordinate system relative to the ground level. Next,considering the first liquid surface line detected at step 1210 is aline on the first touch panel, a highest point and a lowest point of thefirst liquid surface line in the ground coordinate system relative tothe ground level may be found. In one embodiment, if all coordinates ofthe vertices of the first component in the ground coordinate system areall lower than the lowest point, it may determine the first component isentirely submerged in the conductive liquid. If all coordinates of thevertices of the first component in the ground coordinate system are allhigher than the highest point, it may determine the first component isentirely out of the conductive liquid. When it is determined that thefirst component is partially submerged in the conductive liquid, it mayfurther take this case as the submerged case or the un-submerged caseaccording to the needs of the corresponding embodiments. Alternatively,in addition to these two submerged or un-submerged cases, there may beadditional steps to handle the partially submerged case. If the firstcomponent is determined being submerged in the conductive liquid at step1240, the flow goes to step 1250 or step 1255. If the If the firstcomponent is determined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid atstep 1240, the flow goes to step 1260 or 1265.

Optional step 1250: performing an entering step by the electronicdevice. For example, the electronic device may switch to a power savingmode or a sleep mode or record the time when it is submerged in theconductive liquid. In one embodiment, if the first component includes aspeaker, the electronic device may cease operations of a music playerprogram. In another embodiment, if the first component includes asatellite positioning signal receiver module, the electronic device maycease operations of a navigation program.

Optional step 1255: performing a component entering step by the firstcomponent. In one embodiment, if the first component includes a speaker,the first component ceases functions of playing music. In anotherembodiment, if the first component includes a satellite positioningsignal receiver module, the first component cease processing of receivedsatellite positioning signals.

Optional step 1260: performing an exiting step by the electronic device.In one embodiment if the first component includes a speaker, theelectronic device may resume operations of a music player program. Inanother embodiment, if the first component includes a satellitepositioning signal receiver module, the electronic device may resumeoperations of a navigation program.

Optional step 1265: performing a component exiting step by the firstcomponent. In one embodiment, if the first component includes a speaker,the first component resumes playing music. In another embodiment, if thefirst component includes a satellite positioning signal receiver module,the first component starts processing of received satellite positioningsignals.

Please refer to FIG. 13, which is a block diagram depicts a touch system1300 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Comparingwith the touch system 100 as shown in FIG. 1, the differences are thetouch system 1300 including a first touch panel or screen 120A and asecond touch panel or screen 120B. The structures of these two touchscreen 120A and 120B are similar to the structure of the touch screen120, which includes multiple first electrodes 121 and multiple secondelectrodes 122. However, the present application does not limit that thesizes, the resolutions, and the numbers of touch electrodes of these twotouch screens 120A and 120B have to be identical. These two touchscreens 120A and 120B may be connected to the graphics processor module143 which controls their outputs. Besides, these two touch screens 120Aand 120B are installed on surfaces of the touch system 1300 for outputsand user's inputs. Already discussed, the memory module 144 may includepositional data of these two touch screens 120A and 120B, for examples,coordinate values of each vertex of these two touch screens 120A and120B.

In one embodiment, these two touch screens 120A and 120B may beinstalled on different surfaces of the touch system 1300. As shown inFIG. 5, they are installed on opposite surfaces. In another embodiment,the shape of the touch system 1300 is changeable, for examples, foldablephone or laptop computer. When the touch system 1300 is configured in afirst shape, they may be positioned on the same plane. When the touchsystem 1300 is configured in a second shape, they may be positioned ondifferent planes. In an alternative embodiment, the touch screens 120Aand 120B may belong to one flexible touch screen. When the touch system1300 is configured in the first shape, the flexible touch screenconsisted of these two touch screens 120A and 120B may be on one plane.When the touch system 1300 is configured in the second shape, theflexible touch screen consisted of these two touch screens 120A and 120Bmay be bent and these two touch screens 120A and 120B are on differentplanes.

In this embodiment, the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 maycontrol one or more touch screens 120 such as these two touch screens120A and 120B which may or may not be the same model. Theinterconnection network module 111 may be configured to connect thedriving circuit module 112 to any one of the first electrodes or thesecond electrodes 122 of the first touch screen 120A. Analogously, theinterconnection network module 111 may be configured to connect thedriving circuit module 112 to any one of the first electrodes or thesecond electrodes 122 of the second touch screen 120B. With regard tothe sensing circuit module 113, the interconnection network module 111may be configured to connect the sensing circuit module 113 to any oneof the first electrodes or the second electrodes 122 of the first touchscreen 120A and to connect the sensing circuit module 113 to any one ofthe first electrodes or the second electrodes 122 of the second touchscreen 120B. Hence, the processor module 114 may control the touchscreens 120A and 120B in a time-sharing manner or by additionalcomputing resources. For example, by using one of the methods fordetecting liquid surface, the processor module 114 detects a firstliquid surface and a second liquid surface corresponding to the firsttouch screen 120A and the second touch screen 120B, respectively. Thenthese liquid surfaces are transmitted to the host 140 via the interfacemodule 115. Of course, the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 maydetect one or more external conductive objects, stylus 130, orelectronic board eraser 135 touching or approximating to the first andthe second touch screens 120A and 120B, and transmits the detectionresults to the host via the interface module 115.

Please refer to FIG. 14, which is a block diagram depicts a touch system1400 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Comparingwith the embodiment as shown in FIG. 13, the differences are that thetouch system 1400 includes two touch sensitive processing apparatus 110Aand 110B for connecting to the first and the second touch screens 120Aand 120B, respectively. In other words, each one of the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus 110A and 110B may be configured to detect liquidsurface, one or more external conductive object, stylus 130, electronicboard eraser 135 in the same fashion as the touch sensitive processingapparatus 110 as shown in FIG. 1 and to transmit the detection resultsto the host 140 via their interface module 115.

Please refer to FIG. 15, which is a flowchart diagram depicts a method1500 for a part of an electronic device entering and exiting conductiveliquid in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Theelectronic device may be the touch systems 1300 or 1400 as shown in FIG.13 or in FIG. 14, respectively. A first touch panel may be the firsttouch panel or screen 120A as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. A second touchpanel may be the second touch panel or screen 120B as shown in FIGS. 13and 14. A first component may be any one of the aforementioned modules.The method 1500 may be applicable to the touch system 1300 or 1400.

The step 1210 may be performed on the first touch screen 120A by thetouch sensitive processing apparatus 110 as shown in FIG. 13 or thefirst touch sensitive processing apparatus 110A as shown in FIG. 14.

Step 1515: detecting a second liquid surface line by using a secondtouch panel of the electronic device which is partially submerged in theconductive liquid. This step may be performed on the first touch screen120B by the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 as shown in FIG. 13or the second touch sensitive processing apparatus 110B as shown in FIG.14.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 15, the step 1220 is optional. Forexample, if the first and the second touch panels are on the same plane,the step 1220 is required.

Step 1530: detecting positional data of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the first component of the electronic device. Ifthe shape of the electronic device is fixed, the relative positions ofthe first touch panel and the second touch panel is also fixed. Thus therelative position may be stored as the positional data in the memorymodule 144 of the host 140. If the shape of the electronic device ischangeable, such as a foldable phone or tablet computer, the relativepositions of the first touch panel, the second touch panel and the firstcomponent have to be detected by a position sensor. The detection resultmay be stored as the positional data in the memory module 144 of thehost 140. For example, a certain point of the electronic device may beconfigured as the origin of a local coordinate system. Next, coordinatevalues of the vertices of the first and the second touch panels andcoordinate values of the vertices of the first component are recorded.These coordinate values are the so-called positional data.

Step 1540: determining whether the first component is submerged in theconductive liquid. If the positional data, regarding to the first andthe second touch panels, detected at the step 1530 indicates that theyare on the same plane, after the attitude is detected at step 1220, thelocal coordinate system of the electronic device may be transformed intoa ground coordinate system relative to the ground level. Next,considering two liquid surface lines detected at the steps 1210 and1515, are respectively. The first liquid surface line is a line on thefirst touch panel, a highest point and a lowest point of the firstliquid surface line in the ground coordinate system relative to theground level may be found. The second liquid surface line is a line onthe second touch panel, a highest point and a lowest point of the secondliquid surface line in the ground coordinate system relative to theground level may be found. Among those four points, a highest point anda lowest point relative to the ground level could be determined. In oneembodiment, if all coordinates of the vertices of the first component inthe ground coordinate system are all lower than the lowest point, it maydetermine the first component is entirely submerged in the conductiveliquid. If all coordinates of the vertices of the first component in theground coordinate system are all higher than the highest point, it maydetermine the first component is entirely out of the conductive liquid.

If the positional data, regarding to the first and the second touchpanels, detected at the step 1530 indicates that they are on differentplanes, a first liquid surface line and a second liquid surface line inthe local coordinate system of the electronic device could be drawn.Next, a plane or a curved plane may be found as the liquid surface. Forexample, if the first and the second liquid surface lines are inparallel, a flat plane could be found accordingly. If he first and thesecond liquid surface lines are not in parallel, a curved plane could befound accordingly. In one embodiment, if all coordinates of the verticesof the first component are all higher than the liquid surface, it maydetermine the first component is entirely out of the conductive liquid.If all coordinates of the vertices of the first component are all lowerthan the liquid surface, it may determine the first component isentirely submerged in the conductive liquid.

Although the example works on the local coordinate system, thecalculation may be done after the coordinates are transformed into theground coordinate system relative to the ground level. The presentapplication does not limit the calculations are based on which one ofthe coordinate systems.

When it is determined that the first component is partially submerged inthe conductive liquid, it may further take this case as the submergedcase or the un-submerged case according to the needs of thecorresponding embodiments. Alternatively, in addition to these twosubmerged or un-submerged cases, there may be additional steps to handlethe partially submerged case. If the first component is determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid at step 1240, the flow goes to step1250 or step 1255. If the If the first component is determined beingun-submerged in the conductive liquid at step 1240, the flow goes tostep 1260 or 1265.

In one embodiment, special designed circuits or application specificintegrated circuits (ASIC) may be utilized to execute the methods asshown in FIG. 12 or FIG. 15. The special designed circuits or ASIC mayconnect to one or more the touch sensitive processing apparatus 100 andthe attitude sensor as well as the CPU module 142 and the firstcomponent. In another embodiment, the first component includes thespecial designed circuits and ASIC. In an alternative embodiment, theCPU module 142 includes a combination of software and hardware circuitsto implements the methods as shown in FIG. 12 or FIG. 15.

Please refer to FIG. 16, which is a flowchart diagram shows a method1600 for detecting a liquid surface line in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The method 1600 may be applicableto the touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 as shown in FIGS. 1, 13and 14 which is connected to the touch panel or screen 120. The touchpanel or screen 120 has multiple parallel first electrodes and multipleparallel second electrodes. The first electrodes and the secondelectrodes form multiple intersections.

Step 1610: performing mutual capacitance sensing by multiple parallelfirst electrodes for detecting which one of the first electrodes arecovered by conductive liquid. In the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 7, 8,9, 10A and 10B, it is already described that transmitting drivingsignals via one of the touch electrodes and sensing of other paralleltouch electrodes. When the sensing values (signal values, differencevalues, or dual difference values) of the other parallel touchelectrodes are close, e.g., so as these sensing values cannot form aquadratic curve, or an absolute of a difference between their maximumvalue and minimum value is less than a threshold, it may determine thatthe touch electrodes corresponding to these sensing values are coveredby conductive liquid.

Step 1620: performing mutual capacitance sensing by multiple parallelsecond electrodes for detecting which one of the second electrodes arecovered by conductive liquid. This step is similar or identical to thestep 1610.

Step 1630: determining whether all of the first electrodes are coveredby the conductive liquid according to the sensing results of the step1610. If the determination result is positive, the flow goes to step1640; otherwise the flow goes to the step 1645.

Step 1640. determining whether all of the second electrodes are coveredby the conductive liquid according to the sensing results of the step1620. If the determination result is yes, the flow goes to step 1650;otherwise the flow goes to the step 1670.

Step 1645: determining whether all of the second electrodes are coveredby the conductive liquid according to the sensing results of the step1620. If the determination result is yes, the flow goes to step 1660;otherwise the flow goes to the step 1680.

Step 1650: determining the touch panel is entirely covered by theconductive liquid. This step is executed in response to that all of thefirst electrodes and all of the second electrodes are determined beingcovered by the conductive liquid. Subsequently, the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus may find a position corresponding to one externalconductive object or a rectangle corresponding to two externalconductive objects by self-capacitance sensing on the touch panel.

Step 1660: determining a liquid surface line according to theun-submerged first electrodes. The premise of executing this step isthat all of the second electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid.In other words, the situation is similar to the embodiment as shown inFIG. 3. Hence, as described in the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 7, 10Aand 10B, a liquid surface line may be determined according to theun-submerged first electrodes.

In one embodiment, an attitude sensor may be utilized at the step 1660for detecting the orientation of the touch panel, i.e., an angle betweenthe first electrodes and the horizon. A line, generated by rotating thehighest first electrode submerged in the conductive liquid the angle,may be considered as the liquid surface line.

Step 1670: determining a liquid surface line according to theun-submerged second electrodes. The premise of executing this step isthat all of the first electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid.In other words, the situation is similar to the embodiment as shown inFIG. 3. Hence, as described in the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 7, 10Aand 10B, a liquid surface line may be determined according to theun-submerged second electrodes.

In one embodiment, an attitude sensor may be utilized at the step 1670for detecting the orientation of the touch panel, i.e., an angle betweenthe second electrodes and the horizon. A line, generated by rotating thehighest second electrode submerged in the conductive liquid the angle,may be considered as the liquid surface line.

Step 1680: determining a liquid surface line according to theun-submerged first electrodes and the un-submerged second electrodes.Two possible ways that the flow executes this step. The first possiblesituation is that the entire touch panel does not contact the conductiveliquid. The second possible situation is that the liquid surfaceintersects with two adjacent edges of the touch panel as shown in FIG.4. If the determination results of the steps 1610 and 1620 show not asingle one of the first and the second electrodes are covered by theconductive liquid, the touch sensitive processing apparatus may go ondetection of external conductive objects according to the traditionalsensing method. If the situation as shown in FIG. 4 happens, it maydetermine the liquid surface line according to the lowest un-submergedfirst electrode and the lowest un-submerged second electrode asdescribed in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 9. Or it may determine theliquid surface line according to the highest submerged first electrodeand the highest submerged second electrode.

Please refer to FIG. 17, which is a flowchart diagram shows a method1700 for detecting a liquid surface line in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The method 1700 is applicable tothe touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 of the embodiments as shownin FIGS. 1, 13 and 14. The touch sensitive processing apparatus 100 isconnected to the touch panel or screen 120. The touch panel or screen120 has multiple parallel first electrodes 121 and multiple parallelsecond electrodes 122. The first and the second electrodes form multipleintersections.

Step 1710: gathering a mutual capacitance sensing image ortwo-dimensional sensing information of the touch panel.

Step 1720: determining whether a line piece group of liquid surfaceexists. This step includes looking for the line piece group of liquidsurface in the mutual capacitance sensing image. The line piece group ofliquid surface includes multiple line pieces of multiple one-dimensionalsensing information. Each line piece includes one or more value (sensingvalue, difference value or dual difference value) which are larger thana first threshold value. When the line piece group of liquid surfacecannot be found in the mutual capacitance sensing image, the flow goesto the step 1780; otherwise, the flow goes to the step 1730.

Step 1730: determining whether the line piece group of liquid surfacecontacts two edges of the touch panel. The two edges may be two adjacentedge or two opposite edges of the touch panel. If the line piece groupof liquid surface does contact two edges of the touch panel, the flowgoes to the step 1740; otherwise, the flow goes to the step 1780.

Step 1740: calculating two average values of values corresponding to twosides of the line piece group of liquid surface. Because the line piecegroup of liquid surface cuts the mutual capacitance sensing image intotwo sides, two average values of values (sensing value, differencevalue, or dual difference value) of these two sides can be calculatedaccordingly.

Step 1750: determining the side corresponding to the larger one of thetwo average values is below the liquid surface and another side is abovethe liquid surface.

Optional step 1760: determining whether the average value correspondingto the submerged side is larger than a second threshold, which is lessthan the first threshold. If the average value is less than the secondthreshold, it may determine that the touch panel is covered by a largeobject other than conductive liquid, the flow goes to the step 1780;otherwise, the flow goes to the step 1770.

Step 1770: determining a liquid surface line according to an interfaceseparating the line piece group of liquid surface and the un-submergedside. In one embodiment, the liquid surface line may be a straight linewhere a sum of distances between the interface and the liquid surfaceline is a minimum. In another embodiment, the liquid surface line may bea curved line which passes each sensing points where the line piecegroup of liquid surface touches the un-submerged side. In an alternativeembodiment, the liquid surface line which passes each sensing pointswhere the un-submerged side touches the line piece group of liquidsurface.

Step 1780: determining the liquid surface line cannot be found.

Please refer to FIG. 18, which is a flowchart diagram shows a method1800 for detecting a touching or approximating event in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. The method 1800 is applicable tothe touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 as shown in FIGS. 1, 13 and14. The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 has multiple parallelfirst electrodes 121 and multiple parallel second electrodes 122. Thefirst electrodes and the second electrodes form multiple intersections.

Step 1810: gathering a submerged area of the touch panel which iscovered by conductive liquid and below a liquid surface line. This step1810 can be realized by executing the aforementioned methods 1600 or1700 for gathering the liquid surface line, i.e., the submerged areabelow the liquid surface line which is covered by the conductive liquid.

Step 1820: gathering a mutual capacitance sensing image ortwo-dimensional sensing information of the touch panel.

Step 1830: calculating one or more touching or approximating eventsaccording to the mutual capacitance sensing image. The flow goes to thestep 1840.

Step 1840: ignoring the touching or approximating events in thesubmerged area. That is determining whether each of the touching orapproximating events is in the submerged area. If it is determined thatthe touching or approximating event happened in the area covered by theconductive liquid, the touching or approximating event is ignored. Atlast, the flow goes to the step 1850:

Step 1850: reporting rest of the touching or approximating events. Thatis to report those touching or approximating events did not happen inthe area covered by the conductive liquid.

Please refer to FIGS. 19A and 19B, which are flowchart diagramsillustrate a method for detecting a touching or approximating event inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The connectionbetween the flowcharts as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B is at point A. Themethod 1900 is applicable to the touch sensitive processing apparatus110 as shown in FIGS. 1, 13 and 14. The touch sensitive processingapparatus 110 has multiple parallel first electrodes 121 and multipleparallel second electrodes 122. The first electrodes and the secondelectrodes form multiple intersections.

Step 1910: detecting an area covered by conductive liquid. As describedin the embodiment as shown in FIG. 11, there are three methods to detectobject in the area covered by conductive liquid. The step 1910 may useone of these three methods.

Step 1915: determining a number of touching or approximating eventsdetected in the area. If no touching event is detected, the flow goes tothe step 1920; otherwise, the flow goes to the step 1925.

Step 1920: reporting no touching or approximating event detected in thearea covered by the conductive liquid.

Step 1925: determining whether only one touching or approximating eventis detected in the area covered by the conductive liquid. If only onetouching or approximating event is detected, the flow goes to the step1930. If two or more touching or approximating events are detected, theflow goes to the step 1935.

Step 1930: reporting the detected touching or approximating event.

Step 1935: determining whether exactly two touching or approximatingevents are detected in the area covered by the conductive liquid. If twotouching or approximating events are detected, the flow goes to the step1940; otherwise, the detection result may be influenced by noises, theflow goes to the step 1920.

Step 1940: determining a rectangle, having four vertices, according tothe two touching or approximating events.

Step 1945: determining the four vertices of the rectangle are in thearea covered by the conductive liquid. If the determination result isyes, the flow goes to the step 1950; otherwise, the flow goes to thestep 1820.

Step 1950: reporting the rectangle or the four vertices.

Step 1955: determining whether the vertex outside the area covered bythe conductive liquid is real. This determination step has to rely onthe touching or approximating events calculated in the steps 1820 and1830. If the vertex matches one of the touching or approximating events,the vertex is determined as a real event, the flow goes to the step1960; otherwise, the flow goes to the step 1965.

Step 1960: reporting the vertex outside the area and its across vertexas two touching or approximating events.

Step 1965: reporting two vertices adjacent the vertex outside the areaand its across vertex as two touching or approximating events.

Please refer to FIG. 20, which is a flowchart diagram shows a method2000 for detecting a touching or approximating event in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. The method 2000 is applicable tothe touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 as shown in FIGS. 1, 13 and14. The touch sensitive processing apparatus 110 has multiple parallelfirst electrodes 121 and multiple parallel second electrodes 122. Thefirst electrodes and the second electrodes form multiple intersections.

The embodiment as shown in FIG. 20 utilizes the steps mentioned in FIG.19. Comparing with the embodiment as shown in FIG. 19, the embodiment asshown in FIG. 20 reports only one touching or approximating event or arectangle which is at least partially covered by the conductive liquid.This embodiment does not utilize mutual capacitance sensing image toverify the four vertices of the rectangle.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides anelectronic device for detecting whether a component is submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the component; a touch panel; a touchsensitive processing apparatus, coupled to the touch panel, configuredto detect a liquid surface line when the electronic device is partiallysubmerged in the conductive liquid; an attitude sensor, for detecting anattitude of the electronic device relative to ground; and a centralprocessing unit (CPU) module, connected to the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus and the attitude sensor, configured to executeinstruction for implementing following steps: receiving the liquidsurface line from the touch sensitive processing apparatus; receivingthe attitude from the attitude sensor; gathering positional data of thetouch panel and the component; and determining whether the component issubmerged in the conductive liquid according to the positional data, theliquid surface line and the attitude.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the electronic device further comprises a sensor,connected to the CPU module, configured to detect the positional data ofthe touch panel and the component and to transmit the positional data tothe CPU module.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the touch panel and thecomponent are fixed, the electronic device further comprises a memorymodule, connected to the CPU module, configured to store the positionaldata of the touch panel and the component and to provide the positionaldata to the CPU module.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the CPUmodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementing oneof following steps: performing an entering step if the component isdetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; performing acomponent entering step if the component is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step if the component isdetermined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid; and performing acomponent exiting step if the component is determined being un-submergedin the conductive liquid.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a methodfor detecting whether a component is submerged in conductive liquid,comprising: receiving a liquid surface line from a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus of an electronic device, wherein the touchsensitive processing apparatus, coupled to a touch panel, is configuredto detect the liquid surface line when the electronic device ispartially submerged in the conductive liquid; receiving an attitude froman attitude sensor of the electronic device, wherein the attitude sensoris configured for detecting an attitude of the electronic devicerelative to ground; gathering positional data of the touch panel and thecomponent; and determining whether the component is submerged in theconductive liquid according to the positional data, the liquid surfaceline and the attitude.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the gathering step further comprises: receiving thepositional data of the touch panel and the component from a sensor ofthe electronic device.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the touch panel and thecomponent are fixed, the gathering step further comprises reading thepositional data of the touch panel and the component from a memorymodule of the electronic device.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the methodfurther comprises one of following steps: performing an entering step ifthe component is determined being submerged in the conductive liquid;performing a component entering step if the component is determinedbeing submerged in the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step ifthe component is determined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid;and performing a component exiting step if the component is determinedbeing un-submerged in the conductive liquid.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides anelectronic device for detecting whether a component is submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the component; a first touch panel; asecond touch panel; a touch sensitive processing apparatus, coupled tothe first touch panel and the second touch panel, configured to detect afirst liquid surface line by the first touch panel and to detect asecond liquid surface line by the second touch panel when the electronicdevice is partially submerged in the conductive liquid; and a centralprocessing unit (CPU) module, connected to the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: receiving the first liquid surface line and the secondliquid surface line from the touch sensitive processing apparatus;gathering positional data of the first touch panel, the second touchpanel and the component; and determining whether the component issubmerged in the conductive liquid according to the positional data, thefirst liquid surface line and the second liquid surface line.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the electronic device further comprises a sensor,connected to the CPU module, configured to detect the positional data ofthe first touch panel, the second touch panel and the component and totransmit the positional data to the CPU module.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component are fixed, the electronic devicefurther comprises a memory module, connected to the CPU module,configured to store the positional data of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component and to provide the positional datato the CPU module.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the CPUmodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementing oneof following steps: performing an entering step if the component isdetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; performing acomponent entering step if the component is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step if the component isdetermined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid; and performing acomponent exiting step if the component is determined being un-submergedin the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to more precisely determine whether thecomponent is submerged in the conductive liquid, the electronic devicefurther comprises an attitude sensor, connected to the CPU module,configured to detect an attitude of the electronic device relative toground, wherein the CPU module is further configured to executeinstruction for receiving the attitude from the attitude sensor, whereinthe determining is further according to the positional data, the firstliquid surface line, the second liquid surface line and the attitude.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides anelectronic device for detecting whether a component is submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the component; a first touch panel; asecond touch panel; a first touch sensitive processing apparatus,coupled to the first touch panel, configured to detect a first liquidsurface line by the first touch panel when the electronic device ispartially submerged in the conductive liquid; a second touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, coupled to the second touch panel, configured todetect a second liquid surface line by the second touch panel when theelectronic device is partially submerged in the conductive liquid; and acentral processing unit (CPU) module, connected to the first touchsensitive processing apparatus and the second touch sensitive processingapparatus, configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: receiving the first liquid surface line and the second liquidsurface line from the first touch sensitive processing apparatus and thesecond touch sensitive processing apparatus, respectively; gatheringpositional data of the first touch panel, the second touch panel and thecomponent; and determining whether the component is submerged in theconductive liquid according to the positional data, the first liquidsurface line and the second liquid surface line.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the electronic device further comprises a sensor,connected to the CPU module, configured to detect the positional data ofthe first touch panel, the second touch panel and the component and totransmit the positional data to the CPU module.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component are fixed, the electronic devicefurther comprises a memory module, connected to the CPU module,configured to store the positional data of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component and to provide the positional datato the CPU module.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the CPUmodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementing oneof following steps: performing an entering step if the component isdetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; performing acomponent entering step if the component is determined being submergedin the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step if the component isdetermined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid; and performing acomponent exiting step if the component is determined being un-submergedin the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to more precisely determine whether thecomponent is submerged in the conductive liquid, the electronic devicefurther comprises an attitude sensor, connected to the CPU module,configured to detect an attitude of the electronic device relative toground, wherein the CPU module is further configured to executeinstruction for receiving the attitude from the attitude sensor, whereinthe determining is further according to the positional data, the firstliquid surface line, the second liquid surface line and the attitude.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a methodfor detecting whether a component is submerged in conductive liquid,comprising: receiving a first liquid surface line and a second liquidsurface line, wherein the first liquid surface line is a line where asurface of the conductive liquid contacts a first touch panel of anelectronic device, wherein the second liquid surface line is a linewhere the surface of the conductive liquid contacts a second touch panelof the electronic device; gathering positional data of the first touchpanel, the second touch panel and the component; and determining whetherthe component is submerged in the conductive liquid according to thepositional data, the first liquid surface line and the second liquidsurface line.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to changeable shape of theelectronic device, the gathering step further comprises receiving thepositional data of the first touch panel, the second touch panel and thecomponent from a sensor of the electronic device.

In one embodiment, if relative positions of the first touch panel, thesecond touch panel and the component are fixed, the gathering stepfurther comprises reading the positional data of the first touch panel,the second touch panel and the component from a memory module of theelectronic device.

In one embodiment, in order to be adapted to new environment, the methodfurther comprises one of following steps: performing an entering step ifthe component is determined being submerged in the conductive liquid;performing a component entering step if the component is determinedbeing submerged in the conductive liquid; performing an exiting step ifthe component is determined being un-submerged in the conductive liquid;and performing a component exiting step if the component is determinedbeing un-submerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to receive the first and the second liquidsurface lines corresponding to the first and the second touch panels,respectively, the electronic device further comprises a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus coupled to the first touch panel and the secondtouch panel for detecting the first liquid surface line and the secondliquid surface line, respectively, wherein the first liquid surface lineand the second liquid surface line are received from the touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus.

In one embodiment, in order to receive the first and the second liquidsurface lines corresponding to the first and the second touch panels,respectively, the electronic device further comprises a first touchsensitive processing apparatus, coupled to the first touch panel, fordetecting the first liquid surface line and a second touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, coupled to the second touch panel, for detectingthe second liquid surface line, wherein the first liquid surface lineand the second liquid surface line are received from the first touchsensitive processing apparatus and the second touch sensitive processingapparatus, respectively.

In one embodiment, in order to more precisely determine whether thecomponent is submerged in the conductive liquid, the electronic devicefurther comprises an attitude sensor for detecting an attitude of theelectronic device relative to ground, wherein the method furthercomprises receiving the attitude from the attitude sensor, wherein thedetermining is further according to the positional data, the firstliquid surface line, the second liquid surface line and the attitude.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a CPUmodule as described in the aforementioned paragraphs.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing apparatus for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: having the driving circuit module drive atleast one of the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit modulesense the first electrodes for determining which of the first electrodesare covered by the conductive liquid; having the driving circuit moduledrive at least one of the second electrodes and having the sensingcircuit module sense the second electrodes for determining which of thesecond electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid; determining aliquid surface line according to the second electrodes which areun-submerged if all of the first electrodes and part of the secondelectrodes are determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; anddetermining the liquid surface line according to the first electrodesand the second electrodes which are un-submerged if part of the firstelectrodes and part of the second electrodes are determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the situations that the entiretouch panel is submerged or un-submerged, the processor module isfurther configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: determining the entire touch panel is covered by the conductiveliquid if all of the first electrodes and all of the second electrodesare determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; and determiningthe touch panel is not covered by the conductive liquid if all of thefirst electrodes and all of the second electrodes are determined beingun-submerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing at least one offollowing steps: having the driving circuit module drive different oneof the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sense thefirst electrodes, adjacent to the first electrode being driven,iteratively for determining which of the first electrodes are covered bythe conductive liquid; and having the driving circuit module drivedifferent one of the second electrodes and having the sensing circuitmodule sense the second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrodebeing driven, iteratively for determining which of the second electrodesare covered by the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to reduce number of the detections and toaccelerate the detections, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing at least one of following steps:having the driving circuit module stop sensing the first electrodes,adjacent to the first electrode being driven, if it is determined thatat least one of the first electrodes is submerged by the conductiveliquid and another one of the first electrodes is not submerged by theconductive liquid; and having the driving circuit module stop sensingthe second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrode being driven, ifit is determined that at least one of the second electrodes is submergedby the conductive liquid and another one of the second electrodes is notsubmerged by the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrode being driven is selected from one offollowing: an outermost one of the parallel first electrodes; and one ofthe parallel first electrodes which is closest to a central figurativeparallel line of the parallel first electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrodes being driven are two of the outermostfirst electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the submerged area, when multiplesensing values corresponding to the first electrodes cannot form aquadratic curve or an absolute value of a difference between the maximumvalue and the minimum value of the multiple sensing values is less thana predetermined value, it is determined that the first electrodescorresponding to the multiple sensing values are covered by theconductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:receiving an attitude of the touch panel from an attitude sensor; andadjusting the liquid surface line according to the attitude.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a methodfor detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged in conductiveliquid, wherein the touch panel comprises multiple parallel firstelectrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes, wherein the methodcomprising: driving at least one of the first electrodes and sensing thefirst electrodes for determining which of the first electrodes arecovered by the conductive liquid; driving at least one of the secondelectrodes and sensing the second electrodes for determining which ofthe second electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid; determininga liquid surface line according to the second electrodes which areun-submerged if all of the first electrodes and part of the secondelectrodes are determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; anddetermining the liquid surface line according to the first electrodesand the second electrodes which are un-submerged if part of the firstelectrodes and part of the second electrodes are determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the situations that the entiretouch panel is submerged or un-submerged, the method further comprises:determining the entire touch panel is covered by the conductive liquidif all of the first electrodes and all of the second electrodes aredetermined being submerged in the conductive liquid; and determining thetouch panel is not covered by the conductive liquid if all of the firstelectrodes and all of the second electrodes are determined beingun-submerged in the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the method further comprises: drivingdifferent one of the first electrodes and sensing the first electrodes,adjacent to the first electrode being driven, iteratively, fordetermining which of the first electrodes are covered by the conductiveliquid; and driving different one of the second electrodes and sensingthe second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrode being driven,iteratively for determining which of the second electrodes are coveredby the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to reduce number of the detections and toaccelerate the detections, the method further comprises: stoppingsensing the first electrodes, adjacent to the first electrode beingdriven, if it is determined that at least one of the first electrodes issubmerged by the conductive liquid and another one of the firstelectrodes is not submerged by the conductive liquid; and stoppingsensing the second electrodes, adjacent to the second electrode beingdriven, if it is determined that at least one of the second electrodesis submerged by the conductive liquid and another one of the secondelectrodes is not submerged by the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrode being driven is selected from one offollowing: an outermost one of the parallel first electrodes; and one ofthe parallel first electrodes which is closest to a central figurativeparallel line of the parallel first electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to provide an option for differentapplications, the first electrodes being driven are two of the outermostfirst electrodes.

In one embodiment, in order to detect the submerged area, when multiplesensing values corresponding to the first electrodes cannot form aquadratic curve or an absolute value of a difference between the maximumvalue and the minimum value of the multiple sensing values is less thana predetermined value, it is determined that the first electrodescorresponding to the multiple sensing values are covered by theconductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to increase the preciseness of thedetermined liquid surface line, the method further comprises: receivingan attitude of the touch panel from an attitude sensor; and adjustingthe liquid surface line according to the attitude.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsystem for detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the touch panel; a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, further comprising: a driving circuit module; asensing circuit module; an interconnection network module, configured toconnect the driving circuit module and one of multiple parallel firstelectrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of the touch paneland to connect the sensing circuit module and one of the multipleparallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes ofthe touch panel; and a processor module, connected to the drivingcircuit module, the sensing circuit module and the interconnectionnetwork module, configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: having the driving circuit module drive at least one ofthe first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sense thefirst electrodes for determining which of the first electrodes arecovered by the conductive liquid; having the driving circuit moduledrive at least one of the second electrodes and having the sensingcircuit module sense the second electrodes for determining which of thesecond electrodes are covered by the conductive liquid; determining aliquid surface line according to the second electrodes which areun-submerged if all of the first electrodes and part of the secondelectrodes are determined being submerged in the conductive liquid; anddetermining the liquid surface line according to the first electrodesand the second electrodes which are un-submerged if part of the firstelectrodes and part of the second electrodes are determined beingsubmerged in the conductive liquid.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing apparatus for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: having the driving circuit module driveone of the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sensethe second electrodes, iteratively, for generating multipleone-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensional sensinginformation according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; determining whether a line piece group of liquid surfaceexists according to the two-dimensional sensing information, wherein theline piece group of liquid surface includes line pieces which arecontinuous parts of some of the one-dimensional sensing information, allvalues of sensing information belonging to the line piece group ofliquid surface are larger than a first threshold; determining whetherthe line piece group of liquid surface contacts two edges of the touchpanel if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacedoes exist; calculating two average values of values of sensinginformation corresponding to two sides of the two-dimensional sensinginformation which are separated by the line piece group of liquidsurface if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacecontacts two edges of the touch panel; determining one side with alarger one of the two average values is below a surface of theconductive liquid and another side is above the surface of theconductive liquid; and determining a liquid surface line according to aninterface between the line piece group of liquid surface and the sideabove the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to confirm the covered area is submerged inthe conductive liquid rather than covered by other object, the processormodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: determining whether the larger one of the two averagevalues is larger than a second threshold, where the first threshold islarger than the second threshold; and proceeding the determining theliquid surface line step when it is determined that the larger one ofthe two average values is larger than the second threshold.

In one embodiment, in order to find out a straight line which is theclosest to the real liquid surface, the liquid surface line is astraight line, where a sum of distances between the liquid surface lineand an interface between the line piece group of liquid surface and theside above the surface of the conductive liquid is smallest.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real liquid surface line,the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensing pointscorresponding to the line piece group of liquid surface which areadjacent to the side above the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real and lower liquidsurface line, the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passessensing points corresponding to the side above the surface of theconductive liquid which are adjacent to the line piece group of liquidsurface.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing method for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, wherein the touch panelcomprises multiple parallel first electrodes and multiple secondelectrodes, the touch sensitive processing method comprising: drivingone of the first electrodes and sensing the second electrodes,iteratively, for generating multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; forming two-dimensional sensing information according tothe multiple one-dimensional sensing information; determining whether aline piece group of liquid surface exists according to thetwo-dimensional sensing information, wherein the line piece group ofliquid surface includes line pieces which are continuous parts of someof the one-dimensional sensing information, all values of sensinginformation belonging to the line piece group of liquid surface arelarger than a first threshold; determining whether the line piece groupof liquid surface contacts two edges of the touch panel if it isdetermined that the line piece group of liquid surface does exist;calculating two average values of values of sensing informationcorresponding to two sides of the two-dimensional sensing informationwhich are separated by the line piece group of liquid surface if it isdetermined that the line piece group of liquid surface contacts twoedges of the touch panel; determining one side with a larger one of thetwo average values is below a surface of the conductive liquid andanother side is above the surface of the conductive liquid; anddetermining a liquid surface line according to an interface between theline piece group of liquid surface and the side above the surface of theconductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to confirm the covered area is submerged inthe conductive liquid rather than covered by other object, the touchsensitive processing method further comprises: determining whether thelarger one of the two average values is larger than a second threshold,where the first threshold is larger than the second threshold; andproceeding the determining the liquid surface line step when it isdetermined that the larger one of the two average values is larger thanthe second threshold.

In one embodiment, in order to find out a straight line which is theclosest to the real liquid surface, the liquid surface line is astraight line, where a sum of distances between the liquid surface lineand an interface between the line piece group of liquid surface and theside above the surface of the conductive liquid is smallest.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real liquid surface line,the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensing pointscorresponding to the line piece group of liquid surface which areadjacent to the side above the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to provide a more real and lower liquidsurface line, the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passessensing points corresponding to the side above the surface of theconductive liquid which are adjacent to the line piece group of liquidsurface.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a touchsystem for detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: a touch panel, comprising multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes; and atouch sensitive processing apparatus, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of the multipleparallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes ofthe touch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: having the driving circuit module driveone of the first electrodes and having the sensing circuit module sensethe second electrodes, iteratively, for generating multipleone-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensional sensinginformation according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; determining whether a line piece group of liquid surfaceexists according to the two-dimensional sensing information, wherein theline piece group of liquid surface includes line pieces which arecontinuous parts of some of the one-dimensional sensing information, allvalues of sensing information belonging to the line piece group ofliquid surface are larger than a first threshold; determining whetherthe line piece group of liquid surface contacts two edges of the touchpanel if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacedoes exist; calculating two average values of values of sensinginformation corresponding to two sides of the two-dimensional sensinginformation which are separated by the line piece group of liquidsurface if it is determined that the line piece group of liquid surfacecontacts two edges of the touch panel; determining one side with alarger one of the two average values is below a surface of theconductive liquid and another side is above the surface of theconductive liquid; and determining a liquid surface line according to aninterface between the line piece group of liquid surface and the sideabove the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to confirm the covered area is submerged inthe conductive liquid rather than covered by other object, the processormodule is further configured to execute instruction for implementingfollowing steps: determining whether the larger one of the two averagevalues is larger than a second threshold, where the first threshold islarger than the second threshold; and proceeding the determining theliquid surface line step when it is determined that the larger one ofthe two average values is larger than the second threshold.

In one embodiment, in order to find out a straight line which is theclosest to the real liquid surface, the liquid surface line is astraight line, where a sum of distances between the liquid surface lineand an interface between the line piece group of liquid surface and theside above the surface of the conductive liquid is smallest.

In one embodiment, in order to a more real liquid surface line, theliquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensing pointscorresponding to the line piece group of liquid surface which areadjacent to the side above the surface of the conductive liquid.

In one embodiment, in order to a more real and lower liquid surfaceline, the liquid surface line is a curved line, which passes sensingpoints corresponding to the side above the surface of the conductiveliquid which are adjacent to the line piece group of liquid surface.

According to an embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing apparatus for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, comprising: a driving circuitmodule; a sensing circuit module; an interconnection network module,configured to connect the driving circuit module and one of multipleparallel first electrodes and multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel and to connect the sensing circuit module and one of themultiple parallel first electrodes and the multiple parallel secondelectrodes of the touch panel; and a processor module, connected to thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: detecting a liquid surface line, by thedriving circuit module, the sensing circuit module and theinterconnection network module, and a covered area of the touch panel,below the liquid surface line, which is covered by the conductiveliquid; detecting first touching or approximating event in the coveredarea; when zero or three first touching or approximating events aredetected, reporting no first touching or approximating event to a host;and when one first touching or approximating event is detected,reporting the first touching or approximating event to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report touching or approximating eventsabove the liquid surface line, the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:having the driving circuit module drive one of the first electrodes andhaving the sensing circuit module sense the second electrodes,iteratively, for generating multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; forming two-dimensional sensing information according tothe multiple one-dimensional sensing information; calculating one ormore second touching or approximating events according to thetwo-dimensional sensing information; reporting the one or more secondtouching or approximating events which are outside the covered area tothe host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, theprocessor module is further configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and reporting the rectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, theprocessor module is further configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and when the four vertices are inside the covered area, reporting therectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to distinguish two touching or approximatingevents from the rectangle, the four vertices of the rectanglesequentially includes a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertexand a fourth vertex, wherein the processor module is further configuredto execute instruction for implementing following steps: having thedriving circuit module drive one of the first electrodes and having thesensing circuit module sense the second electrodes, iteratively, forgenerating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; when the first vertex is not inside the coveredarea, determining whether the vertex is corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events; when the first vertex iscorresponding to one of the second touching or approximating events,reporting the third vertex as a first touching or approximating event tothe host; and when the first vertex is not corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events, reporting the two vertex andthe fourth vertex as the first touching or approximating events to thehost.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module drive one of the first electrodes and having the sensingcircuit module sense the second electrodes, iteratively, for generatingmultiple one-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensionalsensing information according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; calculating one or more second touching or approximatingevents according to the two-dimensional sensing information; when thefirst vertex is not inside the covered area, determining whether thevertex is corresponding to one of the second touching or approximatingevents; when the first vertex is corresponding to one of the secondtouching or approximating events, reporting the third vertex as a firsttouching or approximating event to the host; and when the first vertexis not corresponding to one of the second touching or approximatingevents, reporting the two vertex and the fourth vertex as the firsttouching or approximating events to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the secondelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the second electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the firstelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple first sensingvalues; determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; and determining there exists one secondtouching or approximating event located at a position represented by thefirst coordinate value and a second coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside thecovered area; having the sensing circuit module sense the firstelectrodes and the second electrodes inside the covered area forgenerating multiple first sensing values and multiple second sensingvalues, respectively; determining at least one first coordinate valueaccording to the multiple first sensing values; determining at least onesecond coordinate value according to the multiple second sensing values;and determining there exists one second touching or approximating eventlocated at a position represented by the first coordinate value and asecond coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the processor module is further configured toexecute instruction for implementing following steps: having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the firstelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple first sensingvalues; determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; having the driving circuit modulesimultaneously drive the second electrodes inside the covered area andhaving the sensing circuit module sense the second electrodes inside thecovered area for generating multiple second sensing values; determiningat least one second coordinate value according to the multiple secondsensing values; and determining there exists one second touching orapproximating event located at a position represented by the firstcoordinate value and a second coordinate value.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsensitive processing method for detecting whether a touch panel ispartially submerged in conductive liquid, wherein the touch panelcomprises multiple parallel first electrodes and multiple parallelsecond electrodes, comprising: detecting a liquid surface line and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report touching or approximating eventsabove the liquid surface line, the method further comprises: driving oneof the first electrodes and sensing the second electrodes, iteratively,for generating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; reporting the one or more second touching orapproximating events which are outside the covered area to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, themethod further comprises: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and reporting the rectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to report an rectangle defined by twotouching or approximating events below the liquid surface line, themethod further comprises: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and when the four vertices are inside the covered area, reporting therectangle to the host.

In one embodiment, in order to distinguish two touching or approximatingevents from the rectangle, the four vertices of the rectanglesequentially includes a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertexand a fourth vertex, the method further comprises: driving one of thefirst electrodes and sensing the second electrodes, iteratively, forgenerating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; when the first vertex is not inside the coveredarea, determining whether the vertex is corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events; when the first vertex iscorresponding to one of the second touching or approximating events,reporting the third vertex as a first touching or approximating event tothe host; and when the first vertex is not corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events, reporting the two vertex andthe fourth vertex as the first touching or approximating events to thehost.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the method further comprises: simultaneouslydriving the first electrodes inside the covered area and sensing thesecond electrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; simultaneously drivingthe second electrodes inside the covered area and sensing the firstelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple first sensingvalues; determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; and determining there exists one secondtouching or approximating event located at a position represented by thefirst coordinate value and a second coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the method further comprises: simultaneouslydriving the first electrodes inside the covered area; sensing the firstelectrodes and the second electrodes inside the covered area forgenerating multiple first sensing values and multiple second sensingvalues, respectively; determining at least one first coordinate valueaccording to the multiple first sensing values; determining at least onesecond coordinate value according to the multiple second sensing values;and determining there exists one second touching or approximating eventlocated at a position represented by the first coordinate value and asecond coordinate value.

In one embodiment, in order to detect touching or approximating eventinside the covered area, the method further comprises: simultaneouslydriving the first electrodes inside the covered area and sensing thefirst electrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple firstsensing values; determining at least one first coordinate valueaccording to the multiple first sensing values; simultaneously drivingthe second electrodes inside the covered area and sensing the secondelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; and determining thereexists one second touching or approximating event located at a positionrepresented by the first coordinate value and a second coordinate value.

According to one embodiment, the present application provides a touchsystem for detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged inconductive liquid, comprising: the touch panel; and a touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus, comprising: a driving circuit module; a sensingcircuit module; an interconnection network module, configured to connectthe driving circuit module and one of multiple parallel first electrodesand multiple parallel second electrodes of the touch panel and toconnect the sensing circuit module and one of the multiple parallelfirst electrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes of thetouch panel; and a processor module, connected to the driving circuitmodule, the sensing circuit module and the interconnection networkmodule, configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: detecting a liquid surface line, by the driving circuit module,the sensing circuit module and the interconnection network module, and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.

In one embodiment, the touch system further comprises the host.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presentlyconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is tobe understood that the invention needs not to be limited to the aboveembodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch sensitive processing apparatus fordetecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged in conductiveliquid, comprising: a driving circuit module; a sensing circuit module;an interconnection network module, configured to connect the drivingcircuit module and one of multiple parallel first electrodes andmultiple parallel second electrodes of the touch panel and to connectthe sensing circuit module and one of the multiple parallel firstelectrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes of the touchpanel; and a processor module, connected to the driving circuit module,the sensing circuit module and the interconnection network module,configured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:detecting a liquid surface line, by the driving circuit module, thesensing circuit module and the interconnection network module, and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.
 2. The touch sensitive processingapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor module is furtherconfigured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:having the driving circuit module drive one of the first electrodes andhaving the sensing circuit module sense the second electrodes,iteratively, for generating multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; forming two-dimensional sensing information according tothe multiple one-dimensional sensing information; calculating one ormore second touching or approximating events according to thetwo-dimensional sensing information; reporting the one or more secondtouching or approximating events which are outside the covered area tothe host.
 3. The touch sensitive processing apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the processor module is further configured to executeinstruction for implementing following steps: when two first touching orapproximating events are detected in the covered zone, forming arectangle with four vertices according to the two first touching orapproximating events; and reporting the rectangle to the host.
 4. Thetouch sensitive processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein theprocessor module is further configured to execute instruction forimplementing following steps: when two first touching or approximatingevents are detected in the covered zone, forming a rectangle with fourvertices according to the two first touching or approximating events;and when the four vertices are inside the covered area, reporting therectangle to the host.
 5. The touch sensitive processing apparatus asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the four vertices of the rectanglesequentially includes a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertexand a fourth vertex, wherein the processor module is further configuredto execute instruction for implementing following steps: having thedriving circuit module drive one of the first electrodes and having thesensing circuit module sense the second electrodes, iteratively, forgenerating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; when the first vertex is not inside the coveredarea, determining whether the vertex is corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events; when the first vertex iscorresponding to one of the second touching or approximating events,reporting the third vertex as a first touching or approximating event tothe host; and when the first vertex is not corresponding to one of thesecond touching or approximating events, reporting the two vertex andthe fourth vertex as the first touching or approximating events to thehost.
 6. The touch sensitive processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2,wherein the processor module is further configured to executeinstruction for implementing following steps: having the driving circuitmodule simultaneously drive the first electrodes inside the covered areaand having the sensing circuit module sense the second electrodes insidethe covered area for generating multiple second sensing values;determining at least one second coordinate value according to themultiple second sensing values; having the driving circuit modulesimultaneously drive the second electrodes inside the covered area andhaving the sensing circuit module sense the first electrodes inside thecovered area for generating multiple first sensing values; determiningat least one first coordinate value according to the multiple firstsensing values; and determining there exists one second touching orapproximating event located at a position represented by the firstcoordinate value and a second coordinate value.
 7. The touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor moduleis further configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: having the driving circuit module simultaneously drive the firstelectrodes inside the covered area; having the sensing circuit modulesense the first electrodes and the second electrodes inside the coveredarea for generating multiple first sensing values and multiple secondsensing values, respectively; determining at least one first coordinatevalue according to the multiple first sensing values; determining atleast one second coordinate value according to the multiple secondsensing values; and determining there exists one second touching orapproximating event located at a position represented by the firstcoordinate value and a second coordinate value.
 8. The touch sensitiveprocessing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor moduleis further configured to execute instruction for implementing followingsteps: having the driving circuit module simultaneously drive the firstelectrodes inside the covered area and having the sensing circuit modulesense the first electrodes inside the covered area for generatingmultiple first sensing values; determining at least one first coordinatevalue according to the multiple first sensing values; having the drivingcircuit module simultaneously drive the second electrodes inside thecovered area and having the sensing circuit module sense the secondelectrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple secondsensing values; determining at least one second coordinate valueaccording to the multiple second sensing values; and determining thereexists one second touching or approximating event located at a positionrepresented by the first coordinate value and a second coordinate value.9. A touch sensitive processing method for detecting whether a touchpanel is partially submerged in conductive liquid, wherein the touchpanel comprises multiple parallel first electrodes and multiple parallelsecond electrodes, comprising: detecting a liquid surface line and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.
 10. The touch sensitive processingmethod as claimed in claim 9, further comprises: driving one of thefirst electrodes and sensing the second electrodes, iteratively, forgenerating multiple one-dimensional sensing information; formingtwo-dimensional sensing information according to the multipleone-dimensional sensing information; calculating one or more secondtouching or approximating events according to the two-dimensionalsensing information; reporting the one or more second touching orapproximating events which are outside the covered area to the host. 11.The touch sensitive processing method as claimed in claim 9, furthercomprises: when two first touching or approximating events are detectedin the covered zone, forming a rectangle with four vertices according tothe two first touching or approximating events; and reporting therectangle to the host.
 12. The touch sensitive processing method asclaimed in claim 9, further comprises: when two first touching orapproximating events are detected in the covered zone, forming arectangle with four vertices according to the two first touching orapproximating events; and when the four vertices are inside the coveredarea, reporting the rectangle to the host.
 13. The touch sensitiveprocessing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the four vertices ofthe rectangle sequentially includes a first vertex, a second vertex, athird vertex and a fourth vertex, wherein the touch sensitive processingmethod further comprises: driving one of the first electrodes andsensing the second electrodes, iteratively, for generating multipleone-dimensional sensing information; forming two-dimensional sensinginformation according to the multiple one-dimensional sensinginformation; calculating one or more second touching or approximatingevents according to the two-dimensional sensing information; when thefirst vertex is not inside the covered area, determining whether thevertex is corresponding to one of the second touching or approximatingevents; when the first vertex is corresponding to one of the secondtouching or approximating events, reporting the third vertex as a firsttouching or approximating event to the host; and when the first vertexis not corresponding to one of the second touching or approximatingevents, reporting the two vertex and the fourth vertex as the firsttouching or approximating events to the host.
 14. The touch sensitiveprocessing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprises:simultaneously driving the first electrodes inside the covered area andsensing the second electrodes inside the covered area for generatingmultiple second sensing values; determining at least one secondcoordinate value according to the multiple second sensing values;simultaneously driving the second electrodes inside the covered area andsensing the first electrodes inside the covered area for generatingmultiple first sensing values; determining at least one first coordinatevalue according to the multiple first sensing values; and determiningthere exists one second touching or approximating event located at aposition represented by the first coordinate value and a secondcoordinate value.
 15. The touch sensitive processing method as claimedin claim 10, further comprises: simultaneously driving the firstelectrodes inside the covered area; sensing the first electrodes and thesecond electrodes inside the covered area for generating multiple firstsensing values and multiple second sensing values, respectively;determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; determining at least one secondcoordinate value according to the multiple second sensing values; anddetermining there exists one second touching or approximating eventlocated at a position represented by the first coordinate value and asecond coordinate value.
 16. The touch sensitive processing method asclaimed in claim 10, further comprises: simultaneously driving the firstelectrodes inside the covered area and sensing the first electrodesinside the covered area for generating multiple first sensing values;determining at least one first coordinate value according to themultiple first sensing values; simultaneously driving the secondelectrodes inside the covered area and sensing the second electrodesinside the covered area for generating multiple second sensing values;determining at least one second coordinate value according to themultiple second sensing values; and determining there exists one secondtouching or approximating event located at a position represented by thefirst coordinate value and a second coordinate value.
 17. A touch systemfor detecting whether a touch panel is partially submerged in conductiveliquid, comprising: the touch panel; and a touch sensitive processingapparatus, comprising: a driving circuit module; a sensing circuitmodule; an interconnection network module, configured to connect thedriving circuit module and one of multiple parallel first electrodes andmultiple parallel second electrodes of the touch panel and to connectthe sensing circuit module and one of the multiple parallel firstelectrodes and the multiple parallel second electrodes of the touchpanel; and a processor module, connected to the driving circuit module,the sensing circuit module and the interconnection network module,configured to execute instruction for implementing following steps:detecting a liquid surface line, by the driving circuit module, thesensing circuit module and the interconnection network module, and acovered area of the touch panel, below the liquid surface line, which iscovered by the conductive liquid; detecting first touching orapproximating event in the covered area; when zero or three firsttouching or approximating events are detected, reporting no firsttouching or approximating event to a host; and when one first touchingor approximating event is detected, reporting the first touching orapproximating event to the host.
 18. The touch system as claimed inclaim 17, further comprises the host.